SYDNEY (AFP) — Australia said Sunday it will push for strengthened protection for whales at an international meeting in Chile this week, but admitted it expected talks to be difficult.
Environment Minister Peter Garrett said debate at the annual International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting in Santiago, at which Japan is expected to urge a resumption of full-fledged commercial whaling, would be robust.
Australia will take a strong pro-conservation stance at the talks, he said.
"It won't be an easy meeting by any means," Garrett told reporters in Sydney.
"I expect the negotiations will be difficult, tense and tough.
"But Australia's voice will be strong at all times and, having brought forward the most substantial, pro-conservation reforms that we have seen come into the commission in many, many years, we intend to go there and make sure that our proposals are taken seriously."
Australia is a vocal opponent of Japan's whale hunts in the waters off Antarctica, which are carried out under the name of scientific study.
"I will be saying clearly and strongly at this whaling commission that we think there is a much better way of approaching the question of looking after our whales," Garrett said.
He said this could include global cooperation on non-lethal whale research and measures to ensure that "the science that guides the commission is rigorous and subject to critical evaluation."
"We are also bringing forward research and evidence which shows that the recovery prospects for many species of whales is by no means certain," he said, adding that climate change was a particular threat.
Japan has, however, renewed its threat to resume commercial whaling.
"We will review our relationship with the IWC, and possibly resume whale catches in our own way" if the IWC fails to ease tensions, the Japanese government told member countries, Kyodo News reported, quoting sources close to the row.
Earlier this year Australia sent a vessel to track Japanese whalers to gather evidence for possible international court action, but Garrett said while this approach had not been ruled out, the focus now was on this week's talks.
"I very much hope that from this meeting we can see a strong move by the commission towards a 21st century agenda of conservation for whales -- not simply counting the number of whales that countries want to kill," Garrett said.
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