06/06/2005 - The Minister
for the Environment and Heritage, Senator
Ian Campbell, will visit the Pacific this
week to continue the Australian Government's
international lobbying efforts to prevent
a resumption of commercial whaling.
The visit to the Solomons, Kiribati and Tonga
follows a diplomatic mission last week in
Europe, where Senator Campbell held discussions
with key ministers of a number of member nations
of the International Whaling Commission to
build support for Australia's position on
whale conservation.
As part of the Federal Government's efforts
to prevent plans by the Japanese Fisheries
Agency to reintroduce commercial whaling by
increasing its minke whale catch and hunting
the threatened humpback and fin whales, Australia
last week also led a delegation of 15 countries
to raise concerns directly with the Japanese
Government in Tokyo.
The delegation, led by Australia's Ambassador
to Japan, obtained a meeting with Japan's
Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Other countries
represented in this diplomatic strategy -
called a 'demarche' - were: Argentina, Austria,
Brazil, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland,
Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Portugal, Sweden,
The Netherlands and the United Kingdom.
Senator Campbell said the coming together
of these nations to stop a re-introduction
of commercial whaling was a sign of diplomacy
in action. It sent a powerful message that
many of the world's people recognised the
21st century was a time to further the conservation
of these magnificent creatures, not participate
in moves to increase their exploitation.
Senator Campbell will continue Australia's
diplomatic mission this week in the Pacific.
The 57th meeting of the International Whaling
Commission in Ulsan, Korea, in late June will
consider a new management framework that,
if agreed to, would result in the lifting
of the 20-year moratorium on commercial whaling.
Senator Campbell said the Australian Government
was particularly concerned about Japan's proposal
to double its take of minke whales and to
hunt a quota of the threatened humpback and
fin whales.
"Our position, which I will be discussing
with the highest levels of government in the
Pacific nations, is that it is not necessary
to kill whales in order to obtain information
on their stocks and diet," he said.
"Australia has led diplomatic missions
around the world and coordinating with like-minded
countries to make known to the Japanese Government
our concerns with their proposals. This week's
visit to the Pacific will continue those efforts."
