031 The Antartctic Treaty

The Antarctic Treaty was signed in Washington on December 1, 1959. Its goal is to ensure "in the interest of all mankind that Antarctica shall continue for ever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and shall not become the scene or object of international discord." The treaty entered into force in 1961 and currently has 53 parties. According to the treaty Antarctica is a scientific preserve and military activity is banned. The headquarters of the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat are located in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Within the treaty there are two important conventions: CCAS= Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals and CCAMLR= Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources.