Ulsan, 22 June 2005: IWMC, the world's leading pro-sustainable use conservation group, noted that landlocked countries made the difference today in voting at the annual IWC meeting, ensuring that the organization maintains a narrow majority opposed to scientific research programs. An identical majority of littoral states supports research whaling.

The vote of 30-27 for Australia's resolution against Japan's new Antarctic research program was bolstered by seven votes from landlocked countries - Austria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Luxembourg, San Marino, Slovakia and Switzerland. Only one landlocked country, Mongolia, voted against the resolution.

Eugene Lapointe, President of IWMC, said: "Without the votes of landlocked countries, the IWC backs scientific research whaling by 26 votes to 23. The European bloc in general, and its landlocked members in particular, is what stands in the way of the application of good fisheries management principles at the IWC."

All seventeen European Union members of the IWC voted with Australia. Without the E.U., the result would have been 27-13 in favor of scientific whaling.

Mr. Lapointe added: "What we are seeing with the voting at Ulsan is the power of western cultural hegemony. Western powers say they want to help the developing world but the reality is they are actively limiting the sustainable use of wildlife by foreigners. The right for nations to harvest whales in a carefully managed way, backed by science, is now becoming a measure of cultural tolerance."

The IWMC World Conservation Trust is an international organization that promotes the Sustainable Use as a conservation mechanism, the protection of the sovereign rights of independent nations and the respect of diverse cultures and traditions. It is a non-profit body supported by donations. The IWMC President and Founder is Eugene Lapointe, Former Secretary General of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) from 1982 to 1990.

IWMC contacts: Eugene Lapointe, President Gavin Carter, Adviser Local telephone: 011-849-0143 (Ms. In-Sook Choi) Email: iwmc@iwmc.org

For further information, contact Eugène Lapointe
Florida: +1(727) 734-4949 or email: iwmc@iwmc.org