KOROR (Palau Horizon) — Palau will have its own stand and will not take the “extremist” position of Greenpeace International on the establishment of a whale sanctuary in the South Pacific, Minister of State Temmy Shmull said.
Shmull was reacting to Greenpeace’s “attacks” against Palau for not supporting the South Pacific Whale Sanctuary during the recent International Whaling Commission meeting in Japan.
“We have our own position regarding the whaling industry and it will be based on our own studies, research and data—we will not take a similar position with Greenpeace,” Shmull said.
Shmull said it is the local government’s policy to ensure that it will use resources on a sustainable basis while taking necessary and reasonable conservation measures.
Shmull said his office has received several letters from Greenpeace expressing its disappointment over the position taken by Palau regarding a whale sanctuary in the South Pacific.
“We cannot take an extreme position—we conducted our own research and made our decision on proven and scientific studies,” Shmull said.
Greenpeace earlier lashed at Palau for not voting for the whale sanctuary in the South Pacific region, saying the country “contradicts its good work saving dugongs and its commitment to the Pacific Islands Forum.”
Greenpeace said other Pacific island countries are “frustrated at the politics and vote buying in the IWC” and have proposed to set up national sanctuaries.
The proposed South Pacific Whale Sanctuary was voted down in the IWC by a 16 to 24 vote with the Solomon Islands and four other member nations abstaining.
IWC was established in 1948 to implement the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling which was drafted in 1946 to ensure the conservation of whale species and the orderly development of the whaling industry. Japan joined IWC in 1951.
Japan is advocating the sustainable use of whale stocks without gravely affecting such marine species.
Japan fisheries experts are in Palau to meet with local officials and discuss IWC issues.
The experts arrived in Palau on Wednesday and discussed issues with local officials related to matters taken up during the last commission meeting.
Shmull said the two governments will discuss how they can work together in the IWC.
“We will continue to cooperate with all the member-countries and (Palau) will do its best to work with them and promote the goals and objectives of the commission,” Shmull said.
