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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Stand-off over whaling activists | Stand-off over whaling activists |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Officials in Japan and Australia are working to resolve a row over two protesters detained on a Japanese whaling vessel in the Southern Ocean. | Officials in Japan and Australia are working to resolve a row over two protesters detained on a Japanese whaling vessel in the Southern Ocean. |
| Japanese crewmen took the protesters, from the radical Sea Shepherd group, into custody on Tuesday after they tried to board their vessel. | Japanese crewmen took the protesters, from the radical Sea Shepherd group, into custody on Tuesday after they tried to board their vessel. |
| The whalers say they are trying to return the two men but accuse Sea Shepherd of not co-operating. | The whalers say they are trying to return the two men but accuse Sea Shepherd of not co-operating. |
| Sea Shepherd say Japanese conditions for the handover are unacceptable. | Sea Shepherd say Japanese conditions for the handover are unacceptable. |
| The Sea Shepherd crew have been pursuing the Japanese fleet with the aim of using direct action to disrupt the hunt. | The Sea Shepherd crew have been pursuing the Japanese fleet with the aim of using direct action to disrupt the hunt. |
| The whalers say Sea Shepherd activists have injured crew members in the past and accuse them of dangerous harassment. | The whalers say Sea Shepherd activists have injured crew members in the past and accuse them of dangerous harassment. |
| 'Completely untrue' | 'Completely untrue' |
| The two men, Brighton-born Giles Lane, who lives in Leeds in Britain, and Australian Benjamin Potts, boarded the Yushin Maru 2 vessel on Tuesday to deliver a petition. | |
| Sea Shepherd say they were assaulted and tied to the radar mast by the Japanese crew. | Sea Shepherd say they were assaulted and tied to the radar mast by the Japanese crew. |
| Hostage is not an accurate description, the two crew members were intentionally left behind on board. Tomohiko Taniguchi,Japanese foreign ministry | Hostage is not an accurate description, the two crew members were intentionally left behind on board. Tomohiko Taniguchi,Japanese foreign ministry |
| But whaling officials said the pair had not been harmed, describing the claims as "completely untrue". | But whaling officials said the pair had not been harmed, describing the claims as "completely untrue". |
| They said the men had illegally boarded the vessel after trying to damage its propeller and throwing bottles of acid. | They said the men had illegally boarded the vessel after trying to damage its propeller and throwing bottles of acid. |
| A spokesman for Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tomohiko Taniguchi, said that there was a strong desire on the Japanese side to return the two men. | A spokesman for Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Tomohiko Taniguchi, said that there was a strong desire on the Japanese side to return the two men. |
| Officials had contacted Sea Shepherd but received no response, he said. | Officials had contacted Sea Shepherd but received no response, he said. |
| A condition of the handover was that Sea Shepherd's inflatable boats agreed to remain 10 miles from Japanese vessels. | A condition of the handover was that Sea Shepherd's inflatable boats agreed to remain 10 miles from Japanese vessels. |
| "If Sea Shepherd is not willing to do what the Japanese side wants them to do, I'm afraid it will take more time," he said. | "If Sea Shepherd is not willing to do what the Japanese side wants them to do, I'm afraid it will take more time," he said. |
| Calling the two men hostages was incorrect, he added. "The two crew members were intentionally left behind on board." | Calling the two men hostages was incorrect, he added. "The two crew members were intentionally left behind on board." |
| Sea Shepherd, meanwhile, described a conditional release as unacceptable. | Sea Shepherd, meanwhile, described a conditional release as unacceptable. |
| Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said he expected the men to be returned "in a safe and secure condition". | Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith said he expected the men to be returned "in a safe and secure condition". |
| "And the Japanese government also wants that to occur," he added. "What is now needed is the co-operation of the two vessels involved." | "And the Japanese government also wants that to occur," he added. "What is now needed is the co-operation of the two vessels involved." |
| The Japanese fleet plans to kill about 900 minke whales and 50 fin whales by mid-April as part of what it describes as a scientific research programme. | The Japanese fleet plans to kill about 900 minke whales and 50 fin whales by mid-April as part of what it describes as a scientific research programme. |
| But other nations and environment groups say the research goals could be achieved using non-lethal methods and call the programme a front for commercial whaling. | But other nations and environment groups say the research goals could be achieved using non-lethal methods and call the programme a front for commercial whaling. |
| TRACKING JAPANESE WHALERS November 2007: Japanese fleet of six whaling ships sets sail 31 December: MV Esperanza carrying Greenpeace campaigners enters Antarctic waters on trail of Japanese fleet. MV Steve Irwin carrying rival Sea Shepherd Conservation Group also heads towards whaling fleet9 January: Australian ship Oceanic Viking leaves Perth on whaling surveillance mission15 January: Two Britons held by Japanese after boarding Yushin Maru No 2 to deliver protest letter |