Anti-whaling nations call for peaceful protest

WELLINGTON - Four Western governments opposed to commercial whaling on Friday issued a joint statement calling on whalers and protesters to avoid violence during the 2013-2014 whaling season in the Southern Ocean.

"Incidents" during the last whaling season when conservation groups to the seas to try to stop Japanese whaling operations clearly demonstrated the dangers involved, said the statement by the governments of Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United States.

The governments jointly condemned any actions at sea that could cause injury, loss of human life or damage to property or the marine environment, said the statement issued by New Zealand Minister of Foreign Affairs Murray McCully.

"The Southern Ocean can be a treacherous, remote and unforgiving environment. Its isolation and extreme conditions mean that search and rescue capability is extremely limited. Dangerous behavior jeopardizes not only the safety of whaling and protest vessels and their crews but also anyone who comes to their assistance," it said.

"We reiterate our call to the masters of all vessels involved to uphold their responsibility to ensure safety at sea, including ensuring that international collision avoidance regulations are strictly observed in order to avoid the risk of loss of life or injury and damage to property or the marine environment."

The government respected the right to freedom of expression, including through peaceful protests on the high seas, but they unreservedly condemned dangerous, reckless or unlawful behavior by all participants on either side.

"We will deal with unlawful activity in accordance with relevant international and domestic laws," said the statement.

"Our governments remain resolutely opposed to commercial whaling, including so-called 'scientific' whaling, in particular in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary established by the International Whaling Commission. Lethal research techniques are not required for modern whale conservation and management," it said.

"Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand and the United States are committed to improving the conservation status of whales worldwide, maintaining the International Whaling Commission's global moratorium on commercial whaling, and implementing meaningful reform of the International Whaling Commission."