UK ask Iceland to spare whales
THE UK is at the forefront of efforts to persuade Iceland to cancel a proposed resumption of large-scale whaling.
THE ICELANDIC government has been presented with a formal demand from 23 countries round the world to cancel the proposed killing of over 30 whales.
The document describes Iceland's proposal to kill 38 minke whales in 2003 as "unjustified and unnecessary."
The statement pointed out that Iceland’s action does not comply with the Resolution adopted at this year’s International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting in Berlin in June, namely that “scientific whaling operations represent an act contrary to the spirit of the IWC moratorium on commercial whaling”.
In formal diplomatic terms, delivering such a statement, known as a demarche, is seen as the most serious expression of discontent with a country's actions other countries can deliver short of going to war.
Ben Bradshaw, the UK fisheries minister, said: "The UK remains utterly opposed to any activity that undermines the present moratorium on commercial whaling.
“We have taken a leading role in bringing together a number of those countries that oppose this regrettable action. The fact that 23 countries supported the demarche shows how important this issue is and the depth of feeling around the world.
Bradshaw added: "I note that many of the countries that took part account for a significant proportion of Iceland’s tourist trade, which includes whale watching.
“Resumption of whaling will, no doubt, damage Iceland’s international conservation image and could have wider adverse impacts.
“We will continue our efforts, along with other countries, to urge Iceland to reconsider its position and end this unjustified and unnecessary research.”
Iceland insists it wants to kill the whales for the purposes of scientific research only.
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