Ban On Antarctic Military A-Tests

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29058, 21 November 1959, Page 13

Ban On Antarctic Military A-Tests

T WASHINGTON, November 19. The 12-nation Washington Antarctic conference/ is reported to have agreed today to ban all nuclear explosions for military purposes in the Antarctic. This apparently paved the way for the signing next Wednesday, subject to approval by interested governments, of the proposed treaty for Antarctica.

. Protracted negotiations on the treaty began on October 3. Americaik Associated Press said that although there was no official confinmation of the nuclear explosions '■ ban agreement, it understood that tests would be authorised . in Antarctica fpr scientific purposes only and in strictly limited cases. The clause on limited use in scientific experiments was believed carefully drawn to meet Argentina’s objections, and that in any case no such tests would be authorised except by prior unanimtous consent in each case. Argentina has opposed any use of the rvast continent for nuclear testing, The objections were based ton possible danger to its citizens since the southern tip of Argentina lies less than 500 miles from the Antarctic. Another objection. was that Argentina was generally opposed, on humanitarian, grounds, to nuclear explosions anywhere. Just how delegates to the Antarctic, conference worked out the situation was not revealed, but the impression was that the requirement for unanimity would give) each country ample opportunity to review each proposal as it might be presented, and veto or approve any planned explo12 countries participating in t!he conference are Argentina,

Australia, Belgium, Britain, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the Soviet Union and the United States. The new treaty will “freeze” the legal status quo in Antarctica, permit freedom of scientific investigation, and set up the world’s first international inspection system to guard against the introduction of armaments into the continent. These provisions are among an expected total of 14 treaty articles.