TNAG-2239-FCO40-3218-Future-of-Hong-Kong-Royal-Navy-presence-1991 — Page 105

CONFIDENTIAL

claims, both countries challenged our's by establishing

military presences. Our counter is HMS ENDURANCE. The overlapping British, Argentine and Chilean claims are the only sovereignty disputes of this kind in Antarctica.

5. The Antarctic Treaty which came into force 30 years

ago freezes sovereignty claims and outlaws the use of

force, or the threat of its use, below 60° South. But

the sovereignty question lies just below the surface:it

is not affected by the Environmental Protocol now being

discussed at Madrid. While there has been no military

threat to our position in the period since 1960, we

cannot ignore the implications for our sovereignty and

the direct challenge to it from Chile and Argentina, and

the indirect challenges of the non-claimant signatories.

6. Argentine and Chilean activity in Antarctica is

increasing. Although the Antarctic Treaty formally protects our sovereignty so long as the Treaty remains in fore, if we do not replace ENDURANCE our position as a

claimant will inevitably in practice be eroded to the

point that our claim will risk being exposed as mere pretension. The British Antarctic Survey (BAS) presence, being civilian and non-governmental, is not as effective

a manifestation of sovereignty as HMS ENDURANCE. As the Bruges Group has demonstrated in the current Community debate, sovereignty needs to be handled with the greatest

care.

7. The withdrawal of ENDURANCE would also have disadvantages from the point of view of science and the

environment. Unless BAS gets more resources to compensate, the amount of science they could do would be less, and they would face extra logistical costs. Withouth helicopters they would be largely confined to

CONFIDENTIAL

Page 105Page 106