31. ILLEGAL ACTS OF VIOLENCE

(from "Chairman's Report of the Thirty-Third Annual Meeting")


Under Any Other Business; Japan introduced a proposed Resolution calling for action by Contracting Governments against and reporting to the Commission of illegal acts of violence against whaling operations and government representatives. This was seconded by Spain and the USSR.

The USA supported this Resolution and noted that 32 NGOs at the meeting had disassociated themselves from such acts. A number of other delegations supported the spirit of the Resolution, but expressed some difficulties with the legal aspects, especially with respect to extra-territorial legislation. These included New Zealand, the UK, Oman, France, Denmark, Argentina and Chile. Japan emphasised that its wording was based on a Resolution adopted by the Commission three years ago dealing with action against non-IWC whaling, but recognising now that the present proposal had received the support expressed, it was prepared to withdraw its Resolution. Australia went on record as not condoning any illegal activity, but it could not go so far as to support the spirit of the Resolution because of legal considerations and fundamental philosophical political difficulties.

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