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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
For Immediate Release August 30, 2000

STATEMENT BY RICHARD BOUCHER, SPOKESMAN

U.S. Announces Initial Actions in Response to
Expanded Japanese Whaling Program

The United States remains strongly opposed to Japan's expanded 
lethal whaling program in the North Pacific.  Japan continues to 
engage not only in the lethal taking of minke whales, but also in 
the killing of two additional species: sperm and Bryde's whales.  
The views of the United States and other like-minded countries on 
this issue have been conveyed to Japan at the highest levels.

To underscore the seriousness of the situation, the Department of 
State today announces several initial U.S. actions:

-- First, the United States has cancelled its bilateral fisheries 
consultation meeting with Japan, scheduled for early September.

-- Second, the United States has decided not to participate in 
two environmental meetings beginning later this week in Japan.  
These are the Ministerial Conference on Environment and 
Development sponsored by the U.N. Economic and Social Commission 
for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), and a related Environment 
Congress for Asia and the Pacific (ECO-ASIA) Ministerial meeting 
organized by the Government of Japan.  Although the United States 
supports the goals of ESCAP, we decided to cancel our 
participation while we consider our response to Japan's expansion 
of its whaling program.

-- Third, the United States will oppose siting the 2001 
International Whaling Commission meeting on the Revised 
Management Scheme (RMS) in Japan.  The U.S. believes that a 
Japanese venue would not be conducive to progress on the RMS.  We 
intend to work with other IWC members to find an alternate site.

The United States is actively considering all other options open 
to it in response to Japan's expanded lethal whaling program, 
including potential trade measures under the Pelly Amendment.

Sperm and Bryde's whales are protected under the U.S. Marine 
Mammal Protection Act and sperm whales are listed as endangered 
under the U.S. Endangered Species Act.  No nation until now has 
taken these whale species since 1987, the year after the 
implementation of the international ban on commercial whaling.

[end of document]

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