part iv additional documents from xxviii atcm - Antarctic Treaty ...

ANNEX I
Message from the XXVIII ATCM to Stations in the Antarctic
The twenty-eight Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (XXVIII ATCM) was hosted by the Swedish
Government in Stockholm from 6 June (the Swedish National Day) to 17 June 2005.
The inaugural speech, delivered by the Swedish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Ms. Laila Freivalds,
noted that Antarctica demonstrates a great example of fruitful and expanding international cooperation
that serves as a model of conflict prevention and peaceful collaboration. Since Sweden is
a relatively small research nation in Antarctica, international co-operation with other countries’
researchers and polar organizations is a main feature of our research program. Sweden’s polar research
covers both the Arctic and Antarctica. The Swedish Antarctic Research Program has its geographical
focus on Dronning Maud Land, where our two research stations, Wasa and Svea, are located.
We welcome that the new Antarctic Treaty Secretariat in Buenos Aires is operational and are grateful
to Mr. Jan Huber, the Executive Secretary, and his team for assisting the Meeting for the first time in
their new capacity.
The Committeee for Environmental Protection (CEP) delivered a comprehensive report, bringing the
environmental issues forward. Particularly important is the decision to commence elaborating a
strategy for the future work of the Committee. This achievement is an effort in which all delegations
should take pride, but the Chairman of CEP, Dr Tony Press (Australia), deserves special recognition
for the way in which he guided the Committee through a busy agenda.
A major achievement of the Meeting was the finalization of Annex VI to the Protocol on Environmental
Protection. We are grateful to all who have contributed to this work over the years. Our special
thanks go to Ambassador Don MacKay (New Zealand), who skilfully guided the Working Group on
Liability to this successful result.
From Stockholm (situated nearly 60 degrees N) the Delegations participating in the XXVIII Consultative
Meeting send their compliments to all those personnel wintering in the Antarctic. The Delegations
express their gratitude to those men and women for their unrelenting efforts to widen mankind’s
horizons while maintaining the spirit of the Antarctic Treaty on the unique continent (situated from
60 degrees S and onwards) to which the Treaty applies.
Hans Corell
Ambassador
Chairman of the XXVIII ATCM
647