site.btaSofia Hosts 38th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting

Sofia Hosts 38th Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting

Sofia, June 1 (BTA) - Bulgaria will expand its interaction with
the other scientific teams and will continue to participate
actively in the Antarctic research programme, President Rosen
Plevneliev said. He was speaking at Monday's opening of the
Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting (ATCM XXXVIII) which is
hosted by Bulgaria and is held under his auspices.

Some 400 delegates from close to 50 countries and organizations
will discuss issues related to the functioning of the Antarctic
treaties, facilitating scientific research on the continent,
protecting the environment, international cooperation and
exchange of information, tourism in Antarctica, among others.
The forum, to continue until June 10, will also feature the
XVIII Meeting of the Committee for Environmental Protection
(CEP).

The Antarctic Treaty was signed in Washington on 1 December 1959
by the twelve countries whose scientists had been active in and
around Antarctica during the International Geophysical Year
(IGY) of 1957-58. It entered into force in 1961 and has since
been acceded to by many other nations. The total number of
Parties to the Treaty is now 52. Bulgaria ratified the treaty in
1978 and has been a full member since 1998.

"Climate change tops the world agenda, along with the shortage
of resources and the introduction of new environment-friendly
technologies, while nature constantly reminds us that it is high
time to act, to change our priorities in the interest of nature
and our children," Plevneliev said.

Close cooperation with all other countries in support of the
Treaty's objectives and to consolidate its system in support of
science, research and sustainable development is our priority,
the President added. He pointed out that Bulgaria is one of the
few countries in Southeastern Europe with a research base on
that continent, that it has a good reputation and is partner to
all international research programmes. Scientists from Spain,
Portugal, South Korea, Japan, Argentina, Chile, the United
States, Canada, Mongolia, Turkey, Luxembourg and Macedonia have
worked on the Bulgarian base on Livingston Island to study
global climate change. Some 535 geographical locations there
bear Bulgarian names, Plevneliev noted.

Foreign Minister Daniel Mitov underscored the importance of
fighting climate change and noted that understanding climate
change is not only a scientific challenge but also one of the
priorities of society. Climate change should rank high on the
agenda of Antarctic cooperation, he added.

Environment and Water Minister Ivelina Vassileva commented that
Bulgaria is a small Antarctic nation, but is proud of its
Antarctic presence and the achievements of the scientists from
the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute and their contribution to
global research.

Tourism Minister Nikolina Angelkova pointed out that development
of tourism in Antarctica has been observed in recent years and
that this subject should be subject to more consideration.
Bulgarian tour operators also have such offers, she
recalled./PK/BR


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