Deputy Minister Smolek at the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting
16.05.2018 / 11:45 | Aktualizováno: 16.05.2018 / 12:06
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic Martin Smolek is a vice-chair of the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting XLI, which is held from 16 until 18 May 2018 in Buenos Aires. The Consultative Meeting is a decision-making body of the State Parties to the Antarctic Treaty which is held once a year in one of the Consultative States Parties.
The Consultative Meeting adopts measures and recommendations on diverse topics regarding Antarctica, such as scientific cooperation, air security, protection of environment and historical objects, exercise of jurisdiction and regulation of tourism and bioprospecting.
Czechoslovakia became State Party to the Antarctic Treaty already in 1962. The Czech Republic was granted the consultative status, which is a higher institutional status that entitles it to vote at the Consultative Meetings and to jointly take part in decisions on the future of this continent together with other 28 States, effective from 1 April 2014. The necessary conditions for obtaining the consultative status were the establishment of the Johann Gregor Mendel Czech Antarctic Station and continuous substantial scientific research activities. The Czech scientists are conducting scientific research in Antarctica which enjoys an international recognition. The Czech Republic will also host the Consultative Meeting in 2019.