NORWAY MAY IGNORE BAN ON WHALE TRADE AS INTERNATIONAL OPPOSITION STRENGTHENS

17 April 2000

NAIROBI -- Greenpeace urged Norway to clarify its intentions today following reports that it may ignore the international vote taken at the weekend to uphold the current ban on trade in whale meat and blubber.

Prior to the vote on whether or not to allow a resumption of the trade in whale products at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), in Nairobi on 15th April 2000, Mr. Schei, head of the Norwegian delegation, assured member states that Norway did not intend to resume the whale trade at this time.

Having lost the vote to downlist minke whales from Appendix I to Appendix II of the CITES list, under which trade is permitted, Mr Schei then indicated that Norway may resume trade in whale meat and blubber, regardless of international opposition, saying that: "Norway may consider ignoring the ban on trade with whale meat and blubber".(1)

"It appears that the international community and Norwegian media are getting conflicting statements. If Norway is preparing to sabotage the international decision to prohibit trade in whale meat and blubber, it should make its intentions clear. It cannot sneak it in by the backdoor, unnoticed by the rest of the world," said John Frizell of Greenpeace International.

Norway and Japan's efforts to secure the trade in whale meat and blubber suffered a further setback today when CITES rejected their proposals to break the long standing link between CITES, that regulates trade and the International Whaling Commission (IWC) that manages whaling. The two bodies have co-operated to regulate whaling for 20 years.

"It's clear that international opinion weighs heavily against a resumption of commercial whaling and that it sees the value of co-operation between the IWC and CITES. Norway should accept this, end its persistent efforts to resume trade and respect international opinion," added Frizell.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:

- Matilda Bradshaw on +245 (2) 72 51 74 89

Follow the CITES negotiations on the web: www.greenpeace.org/~oceans/cites

(1) NTB 16.04.2000

Four proposals to downlist minke whales were submitted to CITES, three from Norway and one from Japan. All were rejected by a greater majority than at the last CITES meeting in 1997.