Whaling Issue Decision in Few Weeks

(PR.co.nz) New Zealand will decide in the next few weeks whether it will file a case in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) against Japanese whaling in the Southern Ocean, Foreign Minister Murray McCully said today.

Australia today confirmed it would be taking a case against Japan to the ICJ.

“New Zealand has been disappointed by the progress of diplomatic negotiations in the International Whaling Commission(IWC), and we have made it clear that the current proposal is not adequate,” Mr McCully said.

“However we believe that there is still room to make progress before the IWC’s annual meeting in Agadir in June.

“The Government has always said that action in the ICJ remains an option for New Zealand if the diplomatic process fails.”

Media Release 28 May 2010 from Hon Murray McCully, Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Telephone: (04)817 6810
Email: m.mccully@ministers.govt.nz