Whaling forum to take place in Tokyo

[Rose Selavey]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...section=justin

Australia is taking part in a forum in Tokyo that is trying to resolve an international stand-off over whaling policy.

The closed door meeting has been organised by a United States based charitable trust, the Pew Environmental Foundation.

Representatives from pro-whaling countries like Japan and Norway, and anti-whaling countries including Australia and New Zealand, are taking part along with environmental groups and the United Nations.

The foundation's Remi Parmentier says the idea is to encourage frank discussions on the issues on which they disagree.

"Different rules than that which apply at the Whaling Commission," he said.

"For example you will not see a statement on television made during our forum, in order to create a 'comfort zone' for everybody so everybody can talk the truth."

This can only be a good thing, the more discussion and input from both sides might resolve this issue. I still believe it is way to soon to resume commercial whaling, it places all whales at risk, not just the more abundant ones.

[Chi65]

Thats good news, thanks, eagle eye!

I like to hear, that other rules will be played by, its OK in my opinion, to have fair discussions from both sides though.

It was high time already!

Lets hope for the best!

[Sarapva]

This does sound like a good idea. I'm glad people from different countries are finally going to discuss this together. Maybe there will be some insights and things learned on both sides. Thanks, Rose!

[Chi65]

Another, more detailed article:

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080131...apanwhalingiwc

Experts seek solution to whaling deadlock in Tokyo Thu Jan 31, 4:01 AM ET

TOKYO (AFP) - Experts on both sides of the bitter feud on whaling wrapped up two days of talks here Thursday aimed at finding common ground on the future of the deadlocked International Whaling Commission (IWC).

Nearly 100 scientists, environmentalists, politicians and UN officials exchanged ideas at a whaling symposium arranged by the Pew Charitable Trusts, a non-governmental US research institute.

One-third of the participants were from Japan, which is in the midst of its annual whaling expedition in the Antarctic Ocean -- a trip strongly opposed by most Western nations, led by Australia.

"If both sides gain from moving to common ground, and it's worth the pain involved in doing so, then a resolution is possible," said one expert at the forum, where speakers were not identified due to the sensitivity of the issue.

The expert said however that at present, both the pro- and anti-whaling camps "have too much to lose and too little to gain to make meaningful compromise possible."

"If participants on both sides of the whaling debate would recognise this, then some of the tension and mistrust which have characterised the meetings of the IWC in recent years would disappear," he said.

Participants were drawing up recommendations to be submitted to a future IWC meeting.

Japan, which argues that whaling is part of its culture, kills some 1,000 whales a year using a loophole in a 1986 global moratorium that allows "lethal research" on the giant mammals.

Its expeditions are routinely harassed by anti-whaling activists.

Japan says it wants to "normalise" the IWC to its original mission of managing whaling and has called for secret balloting at the body.

Environmentalists accuse Japan of using its aid to bring allies onto the IWC, mostly developing nations with no history of whaling.

Norway and Iceland are the only nations that defy the global whaling moratorium outright.

I hope, we will get more informations soon. . .

[david@tokyo]

Originally Posted by Chi65

I hope, we will get more informations soon. . .

http://www.pewwhales.org/tokyosymposium/

[Chi65]

Thank you, thats very appreciated! (honestly)

Now I need time to read it all, OK?
(seems to be long. . .and today its too late)

[caster51]

Whaling forum to take place in Tokyo

in Japanese?

[Kyoto Returnee]

Indeed.. All good news.. the more talk the more can happen..

Once the photos are down, we should be moving on to the courts..

Not much happening here on the nightly news yet..

Just hope Mr. Rudd is serious