III 

111TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 365 

Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Antarctic Treaty. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

DECEMBER 1, 2009 

Mrs. BOXER submitted the following resolution; which was considered and 

agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Recognizing the 50th anniversary of the signing of the 

Antarctic Treaty. 

Whereas the Antarctic Treaty was signed by 12 nations in 

Washington, DC, on December 1, 1959, ‘‘with the interests of science and the progress of all mankind’’; 

Whereas the Antarctic Treaty was established to continue 

and develop international ‘‘cooperation on the basis of 

freedom of scientific investigation in Antarctica as applied during the International Geophysical Year’’; 

Whereas the Antarctic Treaty came into force on June 23, 

1961, after its unanimous ratification by the seven countries (Argentina, Australia, Chile, France, New Zealand, 

Norway, and the United Kingdom) with territorial claims 

in the region and five other countries (Belgium, Japan, 

South Africa, the Soviet Union, and the United States), 


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•SRES 365 ATS 

which had collaborated in Antarctic research activities 

during the International Geophysical Year from July 1, 

1957, through December 31, 1958; 

Whereas the Antarctic Treaty now has 47 nations as signatories that together represent nearly 90 percent of humanity; 

Whereas Article IV of the Antarctic Treaty states 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’’; 

Whereas the 14 articles of the Antarctic Treaty have provided a lasting foundation for maintaining the region 

south of 60 degrees south latitude, nearly 10 percent of 

the Earth’s surface, ‘‘for peaceful purposes only’’; 

Whereas the Antarctic Treaty prohibits ‘‘any measure of a 

military nature’’; 

Whereas the Antarctic Treaty has promoted international nuclear cooperation by prohibiting ‘‘any nuclear explosions 

in Antarctica and the disposal there of radioactive waste 

material’’; 

Whereas the Antarctic Treaty provides a framework for the 

signatories to continue to meet ‘‘for the purpose of exchanging information, consulting together on matters of 

common interest pertaining to Antarctica, and formulating and considering, and recommending to their Governments, measures in furtherance of the principles and 

objectives of the Treaty’’; 

Whereas common interests among the Antarctic Treaty nations facilitated the development and ratification of the 


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•SRES 365 ATS 

Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources; 

Whereas the international cooperation represented by the 

Antarctic Treaty offers humankind a precedent for the 

peaceful governance of international spaces; 

Whereas in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the International Geophysical Year, the Antarctic Treaty Parties 

in their Edinburgh Declaration recognized the current 

International Polar Year for its contributions to science 

worldwide and to international cooperation; and 

Whereas the International Polar Year program has endorsed 

the Antarctic Treaty Summit that will convene in Washington, DC, at the Smithsonian Institution on the 50th 

anniversary of the Antarctic Treaty: Now, therefore, be 

it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) recognizes that the Antarctic Treaty has 

3 greatly contributed to science and science coopera4 tion worldwide and successfully ensured the ‘‘use of 

5 Antarctica for peaceful purposes only and the con6 tinuance of international harmony’’ for the past half 

7 century; and 

8 (2) encourages international and interdiscipli9 nary collaboration in the Antarctic Treaty Summit 

10 to identify lessons from 50 years of international co11 operation under the Antarctic Treaty that have leg12 acy value for humankind. 

Æ 


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