US seeks tighter Antarctic rules
SECRETARY of State Hillary Clinton has unveiled US proposals for new maritime regulation of Antarctic waters and affirmed the Obama administration’s support for the Law of the Sea Convention.
Addressing the 32nd Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting in Baltimore yesterday, Clinton disclosed that the US has submitted a proposal “to extend marine pollution rules”.
This resolution “would place limits on landings from ships carrying large numbers of tourists” and would create “new requirements for lifeboats”, she said. The US is also urging “greater international co-operation to prevent discharges from these ships”.
In addition, Clinton said that “on Friday, President Obama sent to the US Senate the annex to the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty that deals with liability arising from environmental emergencies”.
President Obama is urging Senate approval of the annex, which would take effect only when all countries of the Antarctic Treaty sign off.
Clinton also commented on Arctic issues, explaining: “That starts with the Law of the Sea Convention, which President Obama and I are committed to ratifying, to give the US and our partners the clarity we need to work together smoothly and effectively in the Arctic region.”