Twenty-five countries are Wednesday to call on Iceland to reverse a decision to resume commercial whaling in defiance of an international ban, the French foreign ministry said. All intend to "manifest their opposition to the resumption of commercial whaling and ask the Icelandic authorities to reconsider their policy in this field," the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
Their request will be sent via diplomatic channels to the Icelandic foreign and fisheries ministries.
Iceland said last week it would issue licences to hunt nine fin whales and 30 minke whales in a year, becoming only the second nation after Norway to defy outright an international moratorium that took effect in 1986.
The decision drew protests from environmental groups such as Greenpeace and from several countries, including Australia and New Zealand, as well as the European Union.
The other countries backing the initiative are Argentina, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Britain, Chile, the Czech Republic, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Mexico, Monaco, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden and the United States.
Source: Agence France-Presse
