"This precedent is much more dangerous than Kosovo's independence. I am surprised that Russian authorities have remained silent on the issue. They must declare that this is an illegal decision creating a dangerous precedent, and demand that the UN Secretary General explain the reasoning behind the decision."
"If the expansion of Australia's territory is formalized, this will disrupt the operation of international legal mechanisms, which have already been seriously affected by the proclamation of Kosovo's independence.
"Worse still, this will open the door to a large-scale re-division of the world. The South Pole precedent could be applied in the North Pole, which will turn the struggle for the Arctic resources into a global war, inevitably involving Russia." [27]
The 1959 Antarctic Treaty stipulates that, "No acts or activities taking place while the present Treaty is in force shall constitute a basis for asserting, supporting or denying a claim to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica or create any rights of sovereignty in Antarctica."
The deputy head of the Russian Antarctic expedition, Vladimir Kuchin, said at the time that "The Antarctic Treaty does not recognize any claims, and the UN does not own any territory and therefore cannot approve territorial expansions." [28]
A year later Australia would unveil its largest military buildup since World War II, one that projects a $72 billion dollar increase in military spending and the acquisition of twelve advanced "hunter killer" submarines, three new interceptor missile destroyers, both to be equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles having a range of 2,200 kilometers, and 100 US F-35 Lightning Joint Strike Fighters. [29]
This new war machine will now have 2.5 million more square kilometers to deploy to and maneuver in, deep into the Antarctic Ocean which the Antarctic Treaty stipulates is to be free of military hardware and weaponry.
The Treaty states "it is in the interest 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" and "Antarctica shall be used for peaceful purposes only. There shall be prohibited, inter alia, any measures of a military nature, such as the establishment of military bases and fortifications, the carrying out of military maneuvers, as well as the testing of any type of weapons." [30]
A massively militarized Australia will be free to roam the expanded and self-proclaimed Australian Antarctic Territory, recognized only by Australia and Britain, France, New Zealand and Norway among the world's 192 nations.
As a writer from the United Kingdom posited over a year and a half ago, "The days of British Imperialism may be behind us, but critics fear we are trying to carve out a new empire, with serious political repercussions." [31]
And what pertains to Britain applies with comparable force to its allies in Europe, North America and the South Pacific.
With the end of the Cold War, almost twenty years ago, any spot on the earth that had escaped 500 years of European colonialism and its European and American neocolonialist successor is now fair game for the West's avarice and aggression. The bottom of the world is no exception.
Notes:
[1]. Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, July 27, 2007
[2]. Russian Information Agency Novosti, April 24, 2008
[3]. Reuters, October 7, 2007
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