ONE WHALE POPULATION PROTECTED, FOUR TO GO

ONE WHALE POPULATION PROTECTED, FOUR TO GO
Harare - 16 June, 1997
In yet another secret ballot forced by Japan, parties to the CITES meeting today rejected a Japanese proposal to reduce protection for the population of Eastern Pacific Grey whales.
The proposal is one of four from Japan and one from Norway at this meeting to downlist various whale species and populations from Appendix I of CITES to Appendix II.
Greenpeace welcomed the outcome of the vote (61 opposed, 47 supported, 8 abstentions) which followed an extensive debate during which the continued connection between CITES and the International Whaling Commission was challenged.
This was despite a vote last Friday which roundly rejected a Japanese proposal to discontinue the link between the two.
"While we are relieved that the parties have seen reason on this vote, we are very concerned at the continued influence of Japan - the world's biggest whaling nation - in pushing for secret ballots", said Isabel McCrea, the head of Greenpeace?s CITES delegation.
"This is a trend which we do not wish to see continue." In similar vein to last Friday?s vote on the Japanese resolution to delink CITES from the IWC, a number of countries mentioned in recent press reports as receiving significant aid from Japan in return for their votes, supported the Japanese request for a secret ballot.
"While this vote was ultimately a victory for whales, it was another setback for transparency and democracy at an international convention," Ms McCrea said.
The remaining four proposals to downlist whale populations will be discussed and decided upon tomorrow morning.
Today's vote has yet to be confirmed at the full plenary of CITES later in the week.

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
Greenpeace in Harare: +263-4-111-601450.