| Antarctic Treaty System |
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Information AboutAntarctic Treaty System |
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| |} The Antarctic Treaty and related agreements, collectively called the '''Antarctic Treaty System''' or '''ATS''', regulate the International Relations with respect to Antarctica , Earth 's only uninhabited Continent . For the purposes of the Treaty system, Antarctica is defined as all land and Ice Shelves south of the southern 60th Parallel . The treaty was signed by 12 countries, including the Soviet Union and the United States , and set aside Antarctica as a scientific preserve, established freedom of scientific investigation and banned military activity on that Continent . This was the first Arms Control agreement established during the Cold War . ( NAVA ) 1996 conceptual flag for Antarctica]] The Antarctic Treaty System The (Main) Antarctic Treaty The main treaty was opened for signature on December 1 , 1959 , and officially entered into force on June 23 , 1961 . The original signatories were the 12 countries active in Antarctica during the International Geophysical Year of 1957-58 and willing to accept a US invitation to the conference at which the treaty was negotiated. These countries were Argentina , Australia , Belgium , Chile , France , Japan , New Zealand , Norway , South Africa , the USSR , the United Kingdom and the United States (which opened the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station for the International Geophysical Year ). Articles of the Antarctic Treaty
The main objective of the ATS is to ensure in the interests of all mankind that Antarctica shall continue forever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and shall not become the scene or object of international discord . The treaty forbids any measures of a military nature, but not the presence of military personnel per se. It also defers the question of territorial claims asserted by some nations and not recognized by others. Other agreements , 1991 ]] Other agreements - some 200 recommendations adopted at treaty consultative meetings and ratified by governments - include:
Meetings The Antarctic Treaty System's yearly ''Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings (ATCM)'' are the international forum for the administration and management of the region. Only 28 of the 45 parties to the agreements have the right to participate in these meetings. These parties are the ''Consultative Parties'' and, in addition to the twelve original signatories, include 16 countries that have demonstrated their interest in Antarctica by carrying out substantial scientific activity there. Members [[Image:Antarctic Treaty.png|400px|center|thumb| ]]
At the end of 2004, there were 45 treaty member nations: 28 consultative and 17 acceding. Consultative (voting) members include the seven nations that claim portions of Antarctica as national territory. The 20 nonclaimant nations do not recognize the claims of others. Legal system Antarctica has no Government . Various countries claim areas of it, but most countries do not recognize those claims. The area between 90 degrees west and 150 degrees west is the only land on Earth not claimed by any country. Argentina and Chile According to Argentine regulations, any crime committed within 50 Kilometer s of any Argentine base is to be judged in Ushuaia (as capital of Tierra Del Fuego, Antarctica, And South Atlantic Islands ). In the part of Argentine Antarctica that is also claimed by Chile, the person to be judged can ask to be transferred there. United States The Law Of The United States , including certain criminal offenses by or against U.S. nationals, such as murder, may apply to areas not under jurisdiction of other countries. To this end, the United States now stations special deputy U. S. Marshals in Antarctica to provide a law enforcement presence. {Link without Title} Some U.S. laws directly apply to Antarctica. For example, the Antarctic Conservation Act , 16 U.S.C. section 2401 et seq., provides civil and criminal penalties for the following activities, unless authorized by regulation of Statute :
Violation of the Antarctic Conservation Act carries penalties of up to $10,000 in fines and one year in prison. The Departments of Treasury , Commerce , Transportation , and Interior share enforcement responsibilities. Public Law 95-541, the Antarctic Conservation Act of 1978, requires expeditions from the U.S. to Antarctica to notify, in advance, the Office Of Oceans And Polar Affairs of the State Department , which reports such plans to other nations as required by the Antarctic Treaty. Further information is provided by the Office Of Polar Programs of the National Science Foundation . See also External links
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