http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article1089772.ece
17 June 2006 11:45
a..
a..
Japan fails to take control of whaling commission
By David McNeill in St Kitts and Nevis and Michael McCarthy
Published: 17 June 2006
Conservationists around the world breathed a sigh of relief last night when
Japan, the leading pro-whaling nation, narrowly failed in its attempt to gain
control of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and so start challenging
the international commercial whaling ban.
The Japanese lost a key vote at the IWC annual meeting at St Kitts and Nevis in
the West Indies, after fears that it had built up a voting majority.
Japan has spent a decade securing votes of IWC member states with foreign aid
packages, and had brought three new supporting states into the IWC this year -
Cambodia, Guatemala and the Marshall Islands.
But when the first vote of the meeting was taken, on a Japanese proposal to end
all discussion in the IWC of the fate of dolphins, porpoises and small whales,
Japan and its supporters could only muster 30 votes, while 32 countries voted
against. One country, Denmark, abstained.
At least two countries expected to vote on Japan's side, Senegal and Guatemala,
had not arrived at the meeting by the time the vote was held.
Furthermore, Israel has this year joined the IWC on the side of the
anti-whaling nations, led by the UK, the US, Australia and New Zealand.
However, further votes were due later last night and it was still possible that
a Japanese majority might be achieved. Such a result would be a tremendous
propaganda coup for the Japanese and the other countries determined to continue
hunting the great whales, principally Norway and Iceland.
A simple majority would not allow the scrapping of the 1986 moratorium on
commercial whaling - that requires a majority of 75 per cent. But it would
permit the Japanese and their allies to take important steps towards that end,
such as the introduction of secret ballots in the IWC, which would mean that
countries supporting whaling could not be identified.
The Japanese and the Norwegians in particular have never accepted the
moratorium and have continued to hunt whales every year. While the Norwegians
have openly refused to accept the ban, the Japanese have adopted the pretence
that their whaling is for "scientific" purposes. But this is regarded
everywhere as a sham, and the meat from the whales the Japanese catch is sold
on the open market. This year Japanese boats hunted nearly 1,000 minke whales
in the Southern Ocean, and the Norwegians are hunting a similar number this
summer.
Last night anti-whaling campaigners expressed relief at the initial sign that
the Japanese majority was still some way off. Mike Townsley of Greenpeace
International said the result was "encouraging, but not conclusive".
Speaking on behalf of the Whalewatch coalition, Peter Davies, the director
general of the World Society for the Protection of Animals, said: "We have
shown that even when faced with the greatest of challenges, the welfare and
protection of whales can still persevere. But the world must wake up from its
deep slumber - the world's whales and their welfare remain hanging in the
balance. Governments must now fight fiercely to prevent a hostile takeover by
the pro-whaling nations."
Conservationists around the world breathed a sigh of relief last night when
Japan, the leading pro-whaling nation, narrowly failed in its attempt to gain
control of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and so start challenging
the international commercial whaling ban.
The Japanese lost a key vote at the IWC annual meeting at St Kitts and Nevis in
the West Indies, after fears that it had built up a voting majority.
Japan has spent a decade securing votes of IWC member states with foreign aid
packages, and had brought three new supporting states into the IWC this year -
Cambodia, Guatemala and the Marshall Islands.
But when the first vote of the meeting was taken, on a Japanese proposal to end
all discussion in the IWC of the fate of dolphins, porpoises and small whales,
Japan and its supporters could only muster 30 votes, while 32 countries voted
against. One country, Denmark, abstained.
At least two countries expected to vote on Japan's side, Senegal and Guatemala,
had not arrived at the meeting by the time the vote was held.
Furthermore, Israel has this year joined the IWC on the side of the
anti-whaling nations, led by the UK, the US, Australia and New Zealand.
However, further votes were due later last night and it was still possible that
a Japanese majority might be achieved. Such a result would be a tremendous
propaganda coup for the Japanese and the other countries determined to continue
hunting the great whales, principally Norway and Iceland.
A simple majority would not allow the scrapping of the 1986 moratorium on
commercial whaling - that requires a majority of 75 per cent. But it would
permit the Japanese and their allies to take important steps towards that end,
such as the introduction of secret ballots in the IWC, which would mean that
countries supporting whaling could not be identified.
The Japanese and the Norwegians in particular have never accepted the
moratorium and have continued to hunt whales every year. While the Norwegians
have openly refused to accept the ban, the Japanese have adopted the pretence
that their whaling is for "scientific" purposes. But this is regarded
everywhere as a sham, and the meat from the whales the Japanese catch is sold
on the open market. This year Japanese boats hunted nearly 1,000 minke whales
in the Southern Ocean, and the Norwegians are hunting a similar number this
summer.
Last night anti-whaling campaigners expressed relief at the initial sign that
the Japanese majority was still some way off. Mike Townsley of Greenpeace
International said the result was "encouraging, but not conclusive".
Speaking on behalf of the Whalewatch coalition, Peter Davies, the director
general of the World Society for the Protection of Animals, said: "We have
shown that even when faced with the greatest of challenges, the welfare and
protection of whales can still persevere. But the world must wake up from its
deep slumber - the world's whales and their welfare remain hanging in the
balance. Governments must now fight fiercely to prevent a hostile takeover by
the pro-whaling nations." 17 June 2006 11:45
a.. Home
a.. > News
a.. > Environment
Japan fails to take control of whaling commission
By David McNeill in St Kitts and Nevis and Michael McCarthy
Published: 17 June 2006
Conservationists around the world breathed a sigh of relief last night when
Japan, the leading pro-whaling nation, narrowly failed in its attempt to gain
control of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and so start challenging
the international commercial whaling ban.
The Japanese lost a key vote at the IWC annual meeting at St Kitts and Nevis in
the West Indies, after fears that it had built up a voting majority.
Japan has spent a decade securing votes of IWC member states with foreign aid
packages, and had brought three new supporting states into the IWC this year -
Cambodia, Guatemala and the Marshall Islands.
But when the first vote of the meeting was taken, on a Japanese proposal to end
all discussion in the IWC of the fate of dolphins, porpoises and small whales,
Japan and its supporters could only muster 30 votes, while 32 countries voted
against. One country, Denmark, abstained.
At least two countries expected to vote on Japan's side, Senegal and Guatemala,
had not arrived at the meeting by the time the vote was held.
Furthermore, Israel has this year joined the IWC on the side of the
anti-whaling nations, led by the UK, the US, Australia and New Zealand.
However, further votes were due later last night and it was still possible that
a Japanese majority might be achieved. Such a result would be a tremendous
propaganda coup for the Japanese and the other countries determined to continue
hunting the great whales, principally Norway and Iceland.
A simple majority would not allow the scrapping of the 1986 moratorium on
commercial whaling - that requires a majority of 75 per cent. But it would
permit the Japanese and their allies to take important steps towards that end,
such as the introduction of secret ballots in the IWC, which would mean that
countries supporting whaling could not be identified.
The Japanese and the Norwegians in particular have never accepted the
moratorium and have continued to hunt whales every year. While the Norwegians
have openly refused to accept the ban, the Japanese have adopted the pretence
that their whaling is for "scientific" purposes. But this is regarded
everywhere as a sham, and the meat from the whales the Japanese catch is sold
on the open market. This year Japanese boats hunted nearly 1,000 minke whales
in the Southern Ocean, and the Norwegians are hunting a similar number this
summer.
Last night anti-whaling campaigners expressed relief at the initial sign that
the Japanese majority was still some way off. Mike Townsley of Greenpeace
International said the result was "encouraging, but not conclusive".
Speaking on behalf of the Whalewatch coalition, Peter Davies, the director
general of the World Society for the Protection of Animals, said: "We have
shown that even when faced with the greatest of challenges, the welfare and
protection of whales can still persevere. But the world must wake up from its
deep slumber - the world's whales and their welfare remain hanging in the
balance. Governments must now fight fiercely to prevent a hostile takeover by
the pro-whaling nations."
Conservationists around the world breathed a sigh of relief last night when
Japan, the leading pro-whaling nation, narrowly failed in its attempt to gain
control of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) and so start challenging
the international commercial whaling ban.
The Japanese lost a key vote at the IWC annual meeting at St Kitts and Nevis in
the West Indies, after fears that it had built up a voting majority.
Japan has spent a decade securing votes of IWC member states with foreign aid
packages, and had brought three new supporting states into the IWC this year -
Cambodia, Guatemala and the Marshall Islands.
But when the first vote of the meeting was taken, on a Japanese proposal to end
all discussion in the IWC of the fate of dolphins, porpoises and small whales,
Japan and its supporters could only muster 30 votes, while 32 countries voted
against. One country, Denmark, abstained.
At least two countries expected to vote on Japan's side, Senegal and Guatemala,
had not arrived at the meeting by the time the vote was held.
Furthermore, Israel has this year joined the IWC on the side of the
anti-whaling nations, led by the UK, the US, Australia and New Zealand.
However, further votes were due later last night and it was still possible that
a Japanese majority might be achieved. Such a result would be a tremendous
propaganda coup for the Japanese and the other countries determined to continue
hunting the great whales, principally Norway and Iceland.
A simple majority would not allow the scrapping of the 1986 moratorium on
commercial whaling - that requires a majority of 75 per cent. But it would
permit the Japanese and their allies to take important steps towards that end,
such as the introduction of secret ballots in the IWC, which would mean that
countries supporting whaling could not be identified.
The Japanese and the Norwegians in particular have never accepted the
moratorium and have continued to hunt whales every year. While the Norwegians
have openly refused to accept the ban, the Japanese have adopted the pretence
that their whaling is for "scientific" purposes. But this is regarded
everywhere as a sham, and the meat from the whales the Japanese catch is sold
on the open market. This year Japanese boats hunted nearly 1,000 minke whales
in the Southern Ocean, and the Norwegians are hunting a similar number this
summer.
Last night anti-whaling campaigners expressed relief at the initial sign that
the Japanese majority was still some way off. Mike Townsley of Greenpeace
International said the result was "encouraging, but not conclusive".
Speaking on behalf of the Whalewatch coalition, Peter Davies, the director
general of the World Society for the Protection of Animals, said: "We have
shown that even when faced with the greatest of challenges, the welfare and
protection of whales can still persevere. But the world must wake up from its
deep slumber - the world's whales and their welfare remain hanging in the
balance. Governments must now fight fiercely to prevent a hostile takeover by
the pro-whaling nations."
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
See what's inside the new Yahoo! Groups email.
http://us.click.yahoo.com/si.u7A/bOaOAA/Zx0JAA/uTGrlB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->
Post message: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Unsubscribe : [EMAIL PROTECTED]
List owner : [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Homepage : http://proletar.8m.com/
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/proletar/
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
