Antarctic Issues
Australia, like Chile is an original signatory to the Antarctic Treaty and related agreements, enforced since 1961. Both countries also claim sovereignty of part of the Antarctic continent. Both countries carry out permanent scientific activities and participate actively in all of its forums.
Chile and Australia are also members of other organisations and signatories to other legal agreements in regards to Antarctica. These include the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972), The Madrid Protocol to the Antarctic Treaty on the Protection of the Antarctic Environment (1991), The Commission for the Conservation of Arctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR, 1982) and finally the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatross and Petrels (2004) which has its headquarters in Hobart, Tasmania.
Chile and Australia signed a memorandum of understanding on Scientific and Technological Cooperation in Antarctica in 1993. The memorandum focuses principally on the subjects of oceanography and glaciology and how common interest projects can be developed in these areas.
In the framework of CCAMLR, Chile and Australia were co-hosts of a conference on the future of the organisation. The conference was held in Valdivia, Chile between the 5th and 8th of 2005 and was attended by the majority of the member countries. Records of the conference can be found here.
For more information about Chilean activities in regards to the Antarctic please click here.