Australia protests as ship sinks
Source: Agencies |
January 9, 2010, Saturday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
THE futuristic anti-whaling protest boat struck by a Japanese harpoon vessel near Antarctica finally sank yesterday, prompting Australia to voice concern about safety in the Southern Ocean.
Senior diplomats in Tokyo made "high-level representations" about safety in Antarctica's frigid waters. They also raised concerns about "spy flights" organized by Japanese whalers from Australian airports to track and foil protesters, Australia's Environment Minister Peter Garrett said.
Canberra, he said, was also keeping open the option of an international legal challenge to Japanese whaling if diplomatic negotiations with Tokyo failed to reach an outcome.
"If we don't see substantial and significant achievement in respect of those negotiations, and if we don't see it by the time the International Whaling Commission meets in June then the consideration of legal action will be one that will be fully in front of us," Garrett said in Sydney.
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's powerboat Ady Gil sank after having its bow sheared off in a collision with the Japanese security ship Shonan Maru No. 2.
Each side blamed the other for the incident.
"We strongly protest actions that obstruct the course of Japanese vessels, or those that threaten lives and properties and are extremely dangerous," Japanese foreign minister Katsuya Okada said.
The US$1.5 million trimaran had floated in the Southern Ocean for two days as anti-whaling protesters tried to tow it to safety. Sea Shepherd Captain Paul Watson said the Japanese whalers ignored all distress calls after the boat was crippled.
Senior diplomats in Tokyo made "high-level representations" about safety in Antarctica's frigid waters. They also raised concerns about "spy flights" organized by Japanese whalers from Australian airports to track and foil protesters, Australia's Environment Minister Peter Garrett said.
Canberra, he said, was also keeping open the option of an international legal challenge to Japanese whaling if diplomatic negotiations with Tokyo failed to reach an outcome.
"If we don't see substantial and significant achievement in respect of those negotiations, and if we don't see it by the time the International Whaling Commission meets in June then the consideration of legal action will be one that will be fully in front of us," Garrett said in Sydney.
The Sea Shepherd Conservation Society's powerboat Ady Gil sank after having its bow sheared off in a collision with the Japanese security ship Shonan Maru No. 2.
Each side blamed the other for the incident.
"We strongly protest actions that obstruct the course of Japanese vessels, or those that threaten lives and properties and are extremely dangerous," Japanese foreign minister Katsuya Okada said.
The US$1.5 million trimaran had floated in the Southern Ocean for two days as anti-whaling protesters tried to tow it to safety. Sea Shepherd Captain Paul Watson said the Japanese whalers ignored all distress calls after the boat was crippled.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
