Britain Creates Antarctic Colony

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29764, 6 March 1962, Page 15

Britain Creates Antarctic Colony

(NZ.PA.-Reuter —Copyright) VALPARAISO, March 4. The Duke of Edinburgh has been thrown into the centre of a diplomatic storm by Britain’s creation of an Antarctic colony from its five Falkland Islands dependencies, according to the Chilean newspaper, “Clarin.”

Chile- where the Duke is now an official guest—has frequently claimed the islands as its own. According to “Clarin” the Government has been thrown into a dilemma—- ‘ whether to snub the Duke at official functions, or ■ swallow the insult and con- : t.n-ue to receive him courteously.” Diplomatic sources said the Chilean Government was likely to comment on the British announcement next week. The Duke of Edinburgh will not leave Chile until Friday. Argentina, which has also claimed the islands in the past, is also likely to comment. “Clarin.” which opposes the Chilean Government, eaid: ‘‘With incredible clumsiness and incomprehensible lack of tact, which could only be attributed to Britain’s usual indifference to Chile, England has decided to declare part of Chile’s Antarctic territories to be a British colony.” The new colony the British Antarctic Territory—which came into being yesterday will comprise the British sector of the Antarctic, including the Gratia m--1-ind Peninsula, the South Shetlands, the South Orkneys, and other islands. Its creation, the Colonial Office said, was in consonance with the Antarctic Treaty which came into force last June. Under this treaty, signed in Washington in 1959, Antarctic shell be used for peaceful purposes only. The treaty was signed by Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan. New Zealand. Norway, South Africa, the Soviet Union. The United Kingdom and the United States. The British sector of Antarctica is claimed by both Argentina and Chile, but the treaty specifically rules out the advancement of any claims for the next 30 years. Britain has told ‘he Governments of Argentina end Chile of the creation of the new colony, the High Commissioner of which will be Sir Edwin Arrowsmith. Governor of the Falkland Islands.

The rest of the dependencies. South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, lying outside the Antarctic Treaty. will continue as dependencies of the Falkland survey.

The territories making up the Falkland Islands Depenrencies were all, with the possible exception of South Georgia, discovered by Englishmen. They have been in continuous and uninterrupted British possession since they were first claimed from 120 to 170 years ago. Argentine claims to the dependencies were first made in 1927, while those by Chile were first advanced in 1940. The main basis of these claims was that the dependencies were a geographical extension of the South American Contient, contiguous either to Argentina or Chile. But Argentina and Chile also claimed the dependencies as part of their inheritance from the Spanish conquerors of South America. Britain claims that her title to the dependencies rests on a basis upheld by international law.