Adelaide July 2000. The proposal by the governments of Australia and New Zealand to establish a South Pacific Whale Sanctuary failed today at the International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting in Adelaide, Australia.
Despite the proposal's defeat Greenpeace is encouraged by the strong support for the South Pacific Whale Sanctuary this year and welcomes the continued support of the governments of Australia and New Zealand to return with the proposal at next year's IWC meeting.
Peter Melchett, Executive Director of Greenpeace UK said
"This may have been a victory for Japan's vote buying but it has not seen an end to this proposal. This years's support has formed a strong foundation for the sanctuary's success in the future and we will be asking the UK Government to continue their strong support for the sanctuary. The UK must ensure the proposal is on the agenda for next year"
The proposed sanctuary had the backing of all the South Pacific island states whose waters it would have covered and the majority support of countries at the IWC meeting. It failed to be adopted because Japan, adamantly opposed to it, influenced the votes of six East Caribbean countries, to which it gives significant economic aid.
These countries, together with Norway, which has no economic interest in whaling in the South Pacific, prevented the proposal from getting the three quarter's majority that it needed to pass. Three votes in favour of the sanctuary, from countries such as New Zealand, Australia and the France are neutralised by a single vote against it from an East Caribbean country, such as Dominica.
Sakiusa Qereqeretabua from Greenpeace Australia Pacific said,
"We are deeply disappointed that the East Caribbean nations have ignored the wishes of South Pacific islands and have allowed their vote to be bought by a country that wants to commercially exploit whales thousands of miles away from its own shores."
He added,
"This vote should have been about conserving the world's remaining whale populations, not about short term economic gain. A South Pacific Whale Sanctuary would have stimulated sustainable industries and economic independence for developing island states by providing a strong foundation for the emerging whale watching industry."
Notes to editors:
The East Caribbean nations that voted against the South Pacific Whale Sanctuary were Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, Grenada, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and The Grenadines.
Countries that voted in favour of the proposal were: Australia, Chile, Finland, Germany, India, Mexico, Monaco, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, New Zealand, Austria, Brazil, France, Italy, the Netherlands, the U.K. and the U.S.
Further information:
Contact:
Greenpeace press office on 020 7865 8255/6/7/8
