Media Release Rt Hon Sir Geoffrey Palmer

International Whaling Commission Support Group

“The Support Group of the IWC for the chair Ambassador Cristian Maquiera completed its work in Washington DC last week”, New Zealand Commissioner Sir Geoffrey Palmer said today.

“The group comprised representatives of twelve nations and members of the Secretariat. It met in Madeira, Santiago, Seattle, Honolulu and Washington at intervals. I was its chair. In that capacity I was serving the interests of the whole 88 members of the organisation.”

“I have found this a most demanding, prolonged and pressured assignment. I am most grateful to the Government for its support and the work of the New Zealand officials who have had to shoulder a lot of additional work because of my extra responsibilities.”

“Now that work is finished I can resume my position as the representative of New Zealand at the Annual Meeting in Agadir in June unencumbered by these extra duties”

“The work has gone forward to the IWC chair and he will make his decisions. I expect him to make proposals for consideration at Agadir by the end of the week.”

22 April 2010

ENDS

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