| Added by |
 Bart Perdieus
|
| General Description : | The Antarctic Treaty and related agreements, collectively called the Antarctic Treaty System or ATS, regulate international relations with respect to Antarctica, Earth's only continent without a native human population. For the purposes of the treaty system, Antarctica is defined as all of the land and ice shelves south of 60°S latitude. The treaty, entering into force in 1961 and currently having 50 signatory nations, sets aside Antarctica as a scientific preserve, establishes freedom of scientific investigation and bans military activity on that continent. The treaty was the first arms control agreement established during the Cold War. The Antarctic Treaty Secretariat headquarters have been located in Buenos Aires, Argentina, since September 2004. The main treaty was opened for signature on December 1, 1959, and officially entered into force on June 23, 1961.[2] The original signatories were the 12 countries active in Antarctica during the International Geophysical Year (IGY) of 1957–58. The 12 countries had significant interests in Antarctica at the time: Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom and the United States. These countries had established over 50 Antarctic stations for the IGY. The treaty was a diplomatic expression of the operational and scientific cooperation that had been achieved "on the ice". [edit] Articles of the Antarctic Treaty Article 1 – The area to be used for peaceful purposes only; military activity, such as weapons testing, is prohibited but military personnel and equipment may be used for scientific research or any other peaceful purpose; Article 2 – Freedom of scientific investigations and cooperation shall continue; Article 3 – Free exchange of information and personnel in cooperation with the United Nations and other international agencies; Article 4 – The treaty does not recognize, dispute, nor establish territorial sovereignty claims; no new claims shall be asserted while the treaty is in force; Article 5 – The treaty prohibits nuclear explosions or disposal of radioactive wastes; Article 6 – Includes under the treaty all land and ice shelves but not the surrounding waters south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south; Article 7 – Treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations, and equipment; advance notice of all activities and of the introduction of military personnel must be given; Article 8 – Allows for jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states; Article 9 – Frequent consultative meetings take place among member nations; Article 10 – All treaty states will discourage activities by any country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty; Article 11 – All disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or, ultimately, by the International Court of Justice; Articles 12, 13, 14 – Deal with upholding, interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations. The main objective of the ATS is to ensure in the interests of all humankind that Antarctica shall continue forever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and shall not become the scene or object of international discord. Pursuant to Article 1, the treaty forbids any measures of a military nature, but not the presence of military personnel or equipment for the purposes of scientific research. |
| Face value | 10 Francs |
| Catalog code (Michel) | BE 1643 |
| Catalog code (Scott) | BE 806 |
| Catalog code | Yvert et Tellier BE 1589 Stanley Gibbons BE 2230 AFA number BE 1657 Belgium BE 1589 Unificato BE 1589 |
| Stamp colour | multicolor |
| Stamp use | Commemorative stamp |
| Print run | 1.770.000 |
| Issue date | 19/06/1971 |
| Designer | Oscar Bonnevalle |
| Paper type | Stamp |
| Print technique | photogravure |
| Perforation | 11 1/2 |
| Height | 39.00 mm |
| Width | 55.00 mm |
| Catalog prices | No catalog prices set yet |
