BBC World News Report Agent, (1) Article Found

United Nations to declare portion of Antarctica to be World’s Largest International Preserve
Geneva, Switzerland

The United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), in talks with leaders from Chile, Argentina, the United Kingdom, and the United States, came to an agreement Friday to declare parts of Antarctica an international preserve, which would protect portions of the world’s coldest continent from mining, drilling, and territorial occupation. The movement to create the preserve was spearheaded by UNESCO Special Projects director Saul Londebergh.
The preserve, located on Antarctica’s northwestern Ronne Ice Shelf, will be nearly 1.5 million square kilometers, making it the world’s largest preserve, easily eclipsing the previous record holder, the Krau Wildlife Preserve in Pahang, Malaysia. The area includes portions of Berkner Island and the Weddell Sea.
Opposition to the preserve came from many countries, with the most vociferous arguments coming from both Donald Baker, chairman of the U.S. Department of Energy’s Ways and Means division and Xao Zhifong, representative of the Republic of China’s Future Forward movement.
“We feel that Antarctica should not be under the control of any one organization or governing body,” said Zhifong.
When asked by reporters, Baker denied comment, simply stating that the U.S. intends to “protect vital interests in the region.”
When asked what exactly there was to preserve in Antarctica, technically the world’s largest desert, Londebergh stated:
“Our future, and our children’s future.”
BBC