MEDIA RELEASE

December 20, 2007

Waitakere determined to find global solution to end whaling 

New Zealand Peace Foundation President and Waitakere Mayor Bob Harvey is determined to enlist the help of former Hiroshima Mayor Mr Takashi Hiraoka to find a global solution to end whaling.

Mr Harvey will meet Mr Hiraoka on Sunday (December 23) when he arrives in Auckland on the Peace Boat. 

Peace Boat is a Japan based international non-governmental and non-profit organisation that works to promote peace, human rights, equal and sustainable development and respect for the environment. 

“This visit by the Peace Boat and Mr Hiraoka is the ideal opportunity to let Japan know the world is outraged by its barbaric slaughter of whales and that the violence and killing must end,” says Mr Harvey.

“I will be vigorously lobbying Mr Hiraoka - verbally and through a letter - for his support and indeed urgent action in this regard. 

I have repeatedly let our sister city in Japan, Kakogawa, know our position and this meeting is one more opportunity to spread the word.”

Mr Harvey is also urging the New Zealand Government to get in behind any Australian Federal Government options, one of which is understood to be taking Japan before the International Court of Justice.

Such action would be based on the argument that its intended slaughter of more than a thousand whales this summer contravenes the International Convention for the Regulation of Whaling.

Resort to the international court could be either with Japan voluntarily agreeing to accept its jurisdiction or by seeking a ruling if Japan was not willing to cooperate.

“The Japanese hunt and harpooning is totally unacceptable,” says Mr Harvey. 

“It was heartening to see the Prime Minister’s support of the Wellington campaign and I think together as a nation we should do everything in our power to make it stop.”

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