No consensus on Antarctica.

No consensus on Antarctica

Despite intensive efforts to reach consensus, the forty-second General Assembly adopted two resolutions on the question of Antarctica by roll-call votes. In a text approved by 122 votes to none, with 9 abstentions, the Assembly appealed once again to the Consultative Parties to the Antarctic Treaty to take urgent measures to exclude South Africa from participation in meetings of the Parties. Twenty-four delegations formally announced that they were not participating in the vote.

In a second text adopted by a vote of 100 to none, with 10 abstentions, the Assembly called upon the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties to invite the Secretary-General or his representative to all meetings of the Treaty Parties, including the minerals regime negotiations, and to impose a moratorium on those negotiations until all members of the international community could fully participate. Forty-four delegations did not participate in that vote.

Richard Woolcott of Australia, speaking on behalf of Treaty parties, said consensus was the only realistic basis for consideration of Antarctica by the Assembly. Consensus had not been achieved despite protracted, last-minute efforts, he said.

The 20 Consultative Parties to the Antarctic Treaty are: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Chile, China, Federal Republic of Germany, France, German Democratic Republic, India, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, South Africa, USSR, United Kingdom, United States, and Uruguay. The 17 Non-Consultative Treaty Parties are: Austria, Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Cuba, Denmark, Ecuador, Finland, Greece, Hungary, Korea, Democratic Peoples Republic of, Korea, Republic of, Netherlands, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Romania, Spain and Sweden.

The Antarctic Treaty, signed in 1959 and which entered into force in 1961, is the first international agreement to provide for the absence of nuclear weapons in a specified area and it establishes a demilitarized zone in the Antarctic. Under the terms of the Treaty, Antarctica is to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes.

Compared to subsequent international agreements establishing nuclear weapon-free zones, the Antarctic Treaty is unique in that it enjoys the concurring support of all five permanent members of the Security Council.