Rudd Government Has Options To End Japanese Whaling

Rudd Government has Options to End Japanese Whaling

Australians for Animals (AFA) calls on the Prime Minister to immediately convene a summit of international legal experts with competence in the Antarctic Treaty System, the Law of the Sea, the Convention on Migratory Species and the WTO.

"The focus of a whale summit would be finding solutions to Japanese whaling which are acceptable to anti whaling nations," said Sue Arnold, Co-ordinator.

"Legal opinions commissioned by Australians for Animals demonstrate many options are available to the Rudd government under the Antarctic Treaty System. The ramming and refueling of the Japanese fleet in Australia's claimed territorial waters are a violation of the Protocol on Environmental Protection of the Antarctic Territory (PEPAT).

"Japan is in violation of the World Trade Organisation in subsidizing its whaling industry operations.

"Kevin Rudd needs to get on the phone to President Obama and request that the US impose trade sanctions against Japan under the Pelly Amendment.

"The failure of the US to take steps to counter Japan's escalating whale slaughter in the Antarctic is the principal reason why there is no decisive action against Japan. The refusal of the Bush Administration to impose trade sanctions has seriously weakened the IWC and all other environmental conventions relying on trade sanctions."

A national poll conducted by Galaxy for AFA prior to the last election showed that four in five Australians approved of the ALP's policy to take Japan to the international courts to stop whaling.

"Trade trumps whales," said Sue Arnold. "Trade is the elephant in the room.

"Japan will continue wreaking havoc in Antarctica unless legal action is mounted in the international courts. Rudd's betrayal of the whales will not be forgotten by the public."

Sue Arnold can be contacted at: 0408989862 or 0266803674.

Australians for Animals P.O. Box 673, Byron Bay. NSW 2481 Telephone: 61 2
66803674 Fax: 61 2 66803612 Email:[email protected] Reg. Charity No.
CFN 12644

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SOURCE: Australians for Animals