PRIME M IN IST EA
FOR MEDIA 30 APRIL 1991
I warmly welcome the significant progress made by Antarctic
Treaty Parties in Madrid in negotiating a legal instrument
to protect the Antarctic environment.
The Madrid meeting has made a major breakthrough in
achieving consensus among key delegations to protect
Antarctica in. the foreseeable future and to ensure that the
continent is given the most comprehensive environmental
protection possible.
Since the Government's rejection in 1989 of the Antarctic
Minerals Convention, Australia has worked very hard to
persuade Treaty parties to introduce stringent environment
protection measures for Antarctica.
It has been most gratifying to obtain support in this
initiative from France, Belgium and Italy and, in the
lead-up to Madrid, from other parties, notably the Federal
Republic of Germany and Japan.
The breakthrcough achieved in Madrid is a fitting culmination.
to the intensive diplomatic campaign pursued by Australia
and France.
The outcome of the current negotiations has proved that our
commitment arid efforts to preserve this fragile and
beautiful area were worthwhile, and warranted international
support. The draft agreement makes clear the commitment to the
comprehensive! protection of the Antarctic environment and
the designation of Antarctica as a Natural Reserve devoted
to Peace and Science.
It will now be submitted to Governments for approval. I
will be urging all Treaty nations to move quickly to
finalise negotiations.
The negotiatetd agreement includes extremely tight provisions
prohibiting mineral resource exploration and mining in
Antarctica. Only after fifty years, could any consultative party call a
review conference. But any amendment to the mining
prohibition would require the agreement of all current
consultative parties, of which Australia is one, before it
could enter into force.
2
This means that Australia and all the current consultative
parties would effectively hold a veto on mining.
The prohibition on mining in the draft agreement is part of
a comprehensive regime for environmental protection for
Antarctica. It would include detailed requirements for
conducting environmental impact assessments of all
activities; the establishment of a committee for
environmental protection which will have extensive advisory
and recommendatory powers, and measures to ensure compliance
with the agreement.