Fed: Japan-Aust relationship strong enough to hold up

AAP General News (Australia)
12-20-2007
Fed: Japan-Aust relationship strong enough to hold up

Environment Minister PETER GARRETT says Australia's relationship with Japan is strong
enough to withstand the diplomatic stand-off over whaling.

Foreign Minister STEPHEN SMITH and Mr GARRETT yesterday announced the federal government
will send a formal diplomatic protest to Tokyo .. and send a Customs vessel into the Southern
Ocean to monitor the Japanese whale hunt.

Japan says whaling is part of its culture .. and is carrying out the hunt using a loophole
in a 1986 global moratorium on commercial whaling .. that allows lethal research on the
giant mammals.

Mr GARRETT's told the Nine Network he thinks Australia's relationship with Japan is
good enough to have a difference of opinion on this issue.

But he says he'll push very strongly through diplomatic forums and all the the other
legal options to stop the practice.

AAP RTV pv/rl/af

KEYWORD: WHALING (CANBERRA)

2007 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.