Antarctica and the Antarctic Treaty (Hansard, 2 April 1985)

Baroness Sharpies
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question standing in my name on the Order Paper.

§ The Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (Baroness Young)
My Lords, Antarctica is the only continent which has remained free from military tension and confrontation, and where international co-operation has developed and prospered. This is largely due to the effective operation of the Antarctic Treaty which has kept military conflict out of the area, set aside sovereignty disputes and claims, promoted scientific research, and protected the environment. A quarter of a century after the signature of the treaty, nations continue to accede. We remain convinced of its value and will continue to uphold it.

§ Baroness Sharples
My Lords, I thank my noble friend most sincerely for that very encouraging report. Does my noble friend agree that Britain shows great interest in the future of Antarctica? Will she also agree that the nearly £1 million raised in this country for the In the Footsteps of Scott Expedition, led by my stepson Robert Swan, and in which the nephew of the noble Baroness is also involved as photographer, shows what this country feels about Antarctica?

§ Baroness Young
My Lords, yes. I can confirm to my noble friend that we support wholeheartedly the Antarctic Treaty for the reasons that I have given; and yes I think that the expedition which is taking place is very interesting and important.

§ Lord Shackleton
My Lords, perhaps I may wish the stepson of the noble Baroness, Lady Sharples, all luck in his journey to the South Pole, going the hard way and pulling his sledge—I always used dogs and that was much easier. May I ask the noble Baroness whether she would arrange for the recent report to the Secretary-General of the United Nations on the workings of the Antarctic Treaty which was requested by certain nations who were critical of this treaty to be made available? Is she aware that now that 32 nations of the world have acceded to the treaty it is unquestionably the safest and best means of conserving the Antarctic and preventing undesirable exploitation? Will she note the fact that among those nations which have acceded are the Soviet Union, the United States of America, Poland, Britain, the Argentine, China, India and Papua New Guinea—indeed, the greater part of the world? Will she confirm that there has been some ill-advised 116 criticism of what is the most successful treaty for peace that we have seen since the war?

§ Baroness Young
My Lords, I would entirely confirm what the noble Lord, Lord Shackleton, has said about the Antarctic Treaty which, as I have already indicated, we wholeheartedly support and believe to be most valuable, and which we wish to see continue. With regard to the Secretary-General's report, we have welcomed this because we feel it presents an accurate picture of the treaty workings, and it demonstrates the value and benefits of the Antarctic Treaty. The document appeared in mid-November 1984, and if it is not in the Library I am sure that a copy could be made available.

§ Lord Gainford
My Lords, can my noble friend the Minister say whether there is any information yet as to when any of the resources of Antarctica might be able to be tapped, if that is possible? Will Britain be able to be among the first in such a project?

§ Baroness Young
My Lords, I assume that my noble friend is referring to the minerals regime. The latest round of negotiations on that subject took place in Rio de Janeiro between February and March of this year, but the conclusion of the establishment of a regime is still some way off.

§ Lord Kennet
My Lords, can the noble Baroness confirm that so successful is the peaceful aspect of this treaty that Britain and Argentina continued to meet at meetings of the treaty organisation all the way through the war in 1982, and of course since, when they have not been able to meet in any other context?

§ Baroness Young
My Lords, yes, it is true that both Britain and Argentina are signatories to the treaty, and that there is scientific co-operation betweeen the parties to the treaty.

§ Lord Harmar-Nicholls
My Lords, is there not a lesson to be learnt from the glowing account that my noble friend has been able to give about Antarctica? That is perhaps because of the absence of people. Most troubles in the world are due to people.

§ Baroness Young
My Lords, it may well be, as my noble friend says, that that is one reason; but I think the serious reason is that all countries which have acceded to the treaty believe that this is an opportunity for scientific research, for the conservation of the environment of the Antarctic and for keeping it free from any military intervention. All of them are pledged to this end.

§ Lord Shackleton
My Lords, would the noble Baroness agree that it is a lesson for the world that although Antarctica is populated by people, they are all scientists? In regard to the question about the development of resources, is she aware that in the opinion of most experts—and the British have probably the best and most experienced scientific team—it will be many years before there will be any exploitation and that it is to be hoped that the Antarctic could be preserved entirely for conservation?

§ Baroness Young
My Lords, I would of course share the sentiments of the noble Lord about both scientists, and geographers, as I am married to a scientist and I am the daughter of a geographer. Regarding United Kingdom activities in Antarctica, we believe very much in the work of the British Antarctic Survey. They provide a British presence in the British Antarctic territory and conduct a very valuable scientific programme there.

§ Lord Shackleton
My Lords, as the father of the noble Baroness was my tutor at Oxford I hope she thinks that he did a good job.

§ Baroness Young
My Lords, it entirely depends on the questions which the noble Lord asks me!

§ Lord Kennet
My Lords, as there is no one but geographers and scientists at the North Pole either, would it not be a good thing if the civilised nations soon began to think about an international treaty to conserve the environment of that antipode?

§ Baroness Young
My Lords, I believe that even the noble Lord, Lord Kennet, would think that this was quite wide of the Question concerning the Antarctic.