Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-r5fsc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T22:51:39.067Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Another sterile annual ritual? The United Nations and Antarctica 1987

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 October 2009

Peter J. Beck
Affiliation:
Faculty of Human Sciences, Kingston Polytechnic, Kingston upon Thames, KT1 2EE UK

Abstract

The UN Secretary-General's third Report of September 1987 provided the background for the fifth annual round of the UN's consideration of the ‘Question of Antarctica’. The First Committee's discussions in November 1987 resulted in the adoption by large majorities of two further UN resolutions in favour of a moratorium on the Antarctic minerals regime negotiations, an enhanced UN role in the operations of the Antarctic Treaty System, and the exclusion of South Africa from Consultative Meetings. On the surface, the session might be dismissed as yet another ‘sterile annual UN ritual’, serving to confirm the international community's lack of consensus about the future management of Antarctica. In reality, the episode, suggesting that the UN/Antarctic relationship may be at the crossroads, offered several points of interest, including increased signs of strain within the Antarctic Treaty System consequent upon the South African issue, and a greater appreciation by the critics of the need to work for change within the framework of the existing Antarctic Treaty regime.

Type
Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

BBC. 1987. British Broadcasting Corporation, World Service, Peaceful solutions: the Antarctic Treaty. 23 September 1987.Google Scholar
Beck, P.J. 1985. The United Nations’ study on Antarctica, 1984. Polar Record 22(140): 499504.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beck, P.J. 1986. The international politics of Antarctica. London, Croom Helm.Google Scholar
Beck, P.J. 1987. The United Nations and Antarctica 1986. Polar Record 23(147): 683–90.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Beck, P. J. 1988. The Antarctic minerals regime negotiations. Polar Record 24(148): 5961.Google Scholar
Brazilian Government. 1987. Report of the Fourteenth Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, 5–16 October 1987, Rio de Janeiro.Google Scholar
Joyner, C. C. and Lipperman, P. J. 1986. Conflicting jurisdiction in the Southern Ocean: the case of an Antarctic minerals regime. Virginia Journal of International Law 27(1): 138.Google Scholar
New Straits Times. 1987. New Straits Times 2 December 1987.Google Scholar
Parsons, A. 1987. Antarctica: the next decade. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press.Google Scholar
Sunday Times. 1988. Sunday Times 14 02 1988.Google Scholar
UN 1985. United Nations General Assembly Records 40th Session, Resolutions of the Organization of African Unity, 18th September 1985, A40/666.Google Scholar
UN 1986. United Nations General Assembly Records 41 st Session, Political Declaration of 8th Summit Conference on Non-Aligned Countries, 1–6 September 1986, A41/697.Google Scholar
UN 1987a. United Nations General Assembly Records 42nd Session, Report of the Secretary-General, 30 September 1987, A42/586.Google Scholar
UN 1987b. United Nations General Assembly Records 42nd Session, Report of the Secretary-General, 30th September 1987, A42/587.Google Scholar
UN 1987c. United Nations General Assembly Records 42nd Session, 46th meeting of the First Committee, 17 November 1987, A42/C 1/PV46.Google Scholar
UN 1987d. United Nations General Assembly Records 42nd Session, 11th meeting of the General Assembly, 24 September 1987, A42/PV11.Google Scholar
UN 1987e. United Nations General Assembly Records 42nd Session. 28th meeting of the General Assembly, A42/PV28.Google Scholar
UN 1987f. United Nations General Assembly Records 42nd Session,31st meeting of the General Assembly, 8 October 1987, A42/PV31.Google Scholar
UN 1987g. United Nations General Assembly Records 42nd Session, 48th meeting of the First Committee, 18 November 1987, A42/C 1/PV48.Google Scholar
UN 1987h. United Nations General Assembly Records 42nd Session, 47th meeting of the First Committee, 18 November 1987, A42/C 1/PV47.Google Scholar
UN 1987i. United Nations General Assembly Records 42nd Session, Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Non-Aligned Movement, 27 October 1987, A42/681.Google Scholar
UN 1987j United Nations General Assembly Records 42nd Session, Communique of Fifth Islamic Summit Conference at Kuwait, 26–29 01 1987, A42/178.Google Scholar
UN 1987k. United Nationsl General Assembly Records 42nd Session, Resolution of the First Committee, 16 November 1987, A42/C 1/L87.Google Scholar
UN 1987l. United Nations General Assembly Records 42nd Session, Resolution of the First Committee, 16 November 1987, A42/C 1/L86.Google Scholar
UN 1987m. United Nations General Assembly Records 42nd Session, Resolutions adopted by the General Assembly, 1987, A42/RES/46.Google Scholar
UN 1987n. United Nations General Assembly Records 42nd Session, Resolution of the First Committee, 17 November 1987, A42/C 1/L88.Google Scholar
UN 1987o. United Nations General Assembly Records 42nd Session, Report of the World Commission on Environment and Development, 4 August 1987, A42/427.Google Scholar