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Parties with reservations, declarations and objections
Romania
15-09-1971
The Council of State of the Socialist Republic of Romania states that the provisions of the first paragraph of the article XIII of the Antarctic Treaty are not in accordance with the principle according to which the multilateral treaties whose object and purposes are concerning the international community, as a whole, should be opened for universal participation.
Uruguay
11-01-1980
The Government of the Oriental Republic of Uruguay considers that, through its accession
to the Antarctic Treaty signed at Washington (United States of America) on December
1, 1959, it helps to affirm the principles of using Antarctica exclusively for peaceful
purposes, of prohibiting any nuclear explosion or radioactive waste disposal in this
area, of freedom of scientific research in Antarctica in the service of mankind, and
of international cooperation to achieve these objectives, which are established in
said Treaty.
Within the context of these principles Uruguay proposes, through a procedure based
on the principle of legal equality, the establishment of a general and definitive
statute on Antarctica in which, respecting the rights of States as recognized in international
law, the interests of all States involved and of the international community as a
whole would be considered equitably.
The decision of the Uruguayan Government to accede to the Antarctic Treaty is based
not only on the interest which, like all members of the international community, Uruguay
has in Antarctica, but also on a special, direct, and substantial interest which arises
from its geographic location, from the fact that its Atlantic coastline faces the
continent of Antarctica, from the resultant influence upon its climate, ecology, and
marine biology, from the historic bonds which date back to the first expeditions which
ventured to explore that continent and its waters, and also from the obligations assumed
in conformity with the Inter-American Treaty of Reciprocal Assistance which includes
a portion of Antarctic territory in the zone described in Article 4, by virtue of
which Uruguay shares the responsibility of defending the region.
In communicating its decision to accede to the Antarctic Treaty, the Government of
the Oriental Republic of Uruguay declares that it reserves its rights in Antarctica
in accordance with international law.