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| Conciliation talk at whaling meet | Conciliation talk at whaling meet |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) will open in Alaska later with a new spirit of conciliation in the air. | The annual meeting of the International Whaling Commission (IWC) will open in Alaska later with a new spirit of conciliation in the air. |
| Pro and anti-whaling countries, including Japan, say they are looking to co-operate wherever possible. | Pro and anti-whaling countries, including Japan, say they are looking to co-operate wherever possible. |
| The 21-year moratorium on commercial whaling will not be changed by this meeting, with anti-whaling countries appearing to command a clear majority. | The 21-year moratorium on commercial whaling will not be changed by this meeting, with anti-whaling countries appearing to command a clear majority. |
| However, conflict appears likely over hunting by some indigenous peoples. | However, conflict appears likely over hunting by some indigenous peoples. |
| Aboriginal (or subsistence) permits are given to groups judged to have a strong whaling history and a need for whale meat. | Aboriginal (or subsistence) permits are given to groups judged to have a strong whaling history and a need for whale meat. |
| Greenland wants to expand the scale of its indigenous hunt, and include humpbacks and bowhead whales for the first time; with much of the meat being sold, there are concerns that it is coming too close to being a commercial endeavour. | Greenland wants to expand the scale of its indigenous hunt, and include humpbacks and bowhead whales for the first time; with much of the meat being sold, there are concerns that it is coming too close to being a commercial endeavour. |
| class="" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/spl/hi/guides/456900/456973/html/default.stm">Guide to the Great Whales But the US is desperate to renew quotas for its own indigenous groups here in Alaska, and may find it politically difficult, with its anti-whaling allies, to oppose the Greenland bid. | |
| "There's a lot of discussion going on with Greenland and others to see if we can reach some compromise that we could support," said US whaling commissioner Bill Hogarth. | "There's a lot of discussion going on with Greenland and others to see if we can reach some compromise that we could support," said US whaling commissioner Bill Hogarth. |
| "We realise it's important to Greenland, but you have to be careful of the species you take, and whether you have scientific justification," he told BBC News. | "We realise it's important to Greenland, but you have to be careful of the species you take, and whether you have scientific justification," he told BBC News. |
| Meeting of minds? | Meeting of minds? |
| Last year the pro-whaling camp enjoyed its first triumph in 20 years with the passing, by a single vote, of a motion calling for the eventual resumption of commercial whaling. | Last year the pro-whaling camp enjoyed its first triumph in 20 years with the passing, by a single vote, of a motion calling for the eventual resumption of commercial whaling. |
| This year the balance of power has shifted, with new members such as Croatia, Cyprus, Ecuador, Greece and Slovenia weighing in on the anti-whaling side, against only Laos as a probable new pro-whaling country. | This year the balance of power has shifted, with new members such as Croatia, Cyprus, Ecuador, Greece and Slovenia weighing in on the anti-whaling side, against only Laos as a probable new pro-whaling country. |
| In recent years, the IWC has been riven by a fundamental divide between the two camps, its meetings marked by emotional and often aggressive language. | In recent years, the IWC has been riven by a fundamental divide between the two camps, its meetings marked by emotional and often aggressive language. |
| I was under the impression that we had a global whale sanctuary already Andy Ottaway, Campaign Whale Preliminary exchanges here have been in a much more conciliatory spirit, with delegates on both sides talking of finding common ground. | |
| "Whaling will continue in some manner - Norway, Iceland, Japan, even the US and Russia (with their indigenous peoples) - without true control from the IWC," said Japan's alternate (deputy) commissioner Joji Morishista. | "Whaling will continue in some manner - Norway, Iceland, Japan, even the US and Russia (with their indigenous peoples) - without true control from the IWC," said Japan's alternate (deputy) commissioner Joji Morishista. |
| "We have only two choices - either doing nothing and just fighting in the IWC forever, or we have controlled whaling - and I think the choice should be clear that controlled whaling is much better than just fighting each other." | "We have only two choices - either doing nothing and just fighting in the IWC forever, or we have controlled whaling - and I think the choice should be clear that controlled whaling is much better than just fighting each other." |
| The last time the indigenous quotas came up for review, five years ago, Japan blocked them in protest against the refusal of a similar allowance for its own coastal communities; but it will not do so this time. | The last time the indigenous quotas came up for review, five years ago, Japan blocked them in protest against the refusal of a similar allowance for its own coastal communities; but it will not do so this time. |
| Standing firm | Standing firm |
| Japan has, though, asked that its coastal communities should be permitted to hunt a small number of minke whales commercially, with the meat being distributed locally. In return it would subtract a similar number of whales from its existing hunt, which it conducts under the banner of scientific research. | Japan has, though, asked that its coastal communities should be permitted to hunt a small number of minke whales commercially, with the meat being distributed locally. In return it would subtract a similar number of whales from its existing hunt, which it conducts under the banner of scientific research. |
| It will also seek a strong resolution against the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society which disrupted Japan's 2006-7 Antarctic hunt, holing one of the Japanese vessels. | It will also seek a strong resolution against the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society which disrupted Japan's 2006-7 Antarctic hunt, holing one of the Japanese vessels. |
| In the first concrete sign of a new rapprochement, Japan is working on a joint resolution with New Zealand, one of the fiercest critics of Tokyo's scientific whaling. | In the first concrete sign of a new rapprochement, Japan is working on a joint resolution with New Zealand, one of the fiercest critics of Tokyo's scientific whaling. |
| Many environment groups are deeply unhappy about the message of compromise and conciliation, and about any notion that anti-whaling countries would settle for less than enforcing and enhancing the current global ban on all scientific and commercial whaling. | Many environment groups are deeply unhappy about the message of compromise and conciliation, and about any notion that anti-whaling countries would settle for less than enforcing and enhancing the current global ban on all scientific and commercial whaling. |
| "I was under the impression that we had a global whale sanctuary already, namely the moratorium," said Andy Ottaway of the UK-based group Campaign Whale. | "I was under the impression that we had a global whale sanctuary already, namely the moratorium," said Andy Ottaway of the UK-based group Campaign Whale. |
| "And I feel it quite depressing that here we're talking about having half a sanctuary." | "And I feel it quite depressing that here we're talking about having half a sanctuary." |
| Richard.Black-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk | Richard.Black-INTERNET@bbc.co.uk |