Just days after the inauguration of President Obama, appointees from the Bush administration who are still in place are already attempting to undermine his foreign policy on whaling.
According to news reports out of Hawaii, US Commissioner of the International Whaling Commission, Dr Doug DeMaster, and the US Chair of the IWC, Dr William Hogarth, took part in closed-door negotiations with Japan over the weekend that could allow increased whaling off the coast of Japan in return for a marginal drop in the so-called "scientific" quota of whales hunted in the Southern Ocean Whale Sanctuary. This trade-off will not benefit whale conservation and could actually put additional endangered populations at risk.
Ironically, a search for "whaling" on the new Administration's White House website brings no results and suggests searching for "dealing" instead.
Greenpeace understands that President Obama did not anticipate whaling to be a priority at this early stage of his term, but his position on the campaign trail was unequivocal.
Before last November's election, Greenpeace USA asked Obama, "If you are elected president, what concrete steps will you take to convince Japan to stop whaling?" He replied: "As president, I will ensure that the US provides leadership in enforcing international wildlife protection agreements, including strengthening the international moratorium on commercial whaling. Allowing Japan to continue commercial whaling is unacceptable."
"President Obama has hit the ground running since 20 January and his words and action on climate change and other environmental issues are very welcome," said Greenpeace International Whales Campaign coordinator Sara Holden. "We realise that whales were never going to be on the agenda in his first week, but the worrying news reports from Hawaii means that this issues needs to be address sooner rather than later".
Greenpeace is calling on President Obama to take just a few minutes to end this potentially damaging negotiation by ensuring a new IWC Commissioner is appointed with experience in high-level international negotiations to ensure the US position in these negotiations matches the agenda of the Obama Administration and the American people.
