CYIL vol. 10 (2019)

MARTINA FILIPPIOVÁ CYIL 10 ȍ2019Ȏ negotiated during the months preceding the Meeting and finalized in Prague. During this process - where the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Czech Republic played a leading role - different views and interests of the Consultative Parties had to be reconciled. In spite of this, a consensus was achieved, in line with the spirit of Antarctic cooperation among States. The Prague Declaration, inter alia, reaffirms the commitment of the Consultative Parties to the principles and purposes of the Antarctic Treaty, including the protection and preservation of Antarctica. Its complete text can be found as an annex to this article. The next ATCM will be hosted in Finland from 25 May to 4 June 2020. The Meeting has ended, but the Antarctic Treaty continues to apply. The successful meeting in Prague which adopted the Prague Declaration should not be forgotten, but we should also highlight the achievements of the Treaty itself. It is 60 years old, but still very active. It applies to all activities in Antarctica. Most importantly, the Antarctic Treaty demonstrates that the international law truly works and that States are able to settle their disputes, in this case territorial ones, peacefully. What’s more, the Antarctic Treaty served as a source of inspiration for other regulations of international areas such as outer space or high seas. The spirit of cooperation and peacefulness, embedded in the Treaty, can be felt at the meetings. Let me conclude by wishing the future ATCMs to conduct many fruitful discussions and keep its unique spirit. Martina Filippiová*

* This contribution was written in the author’s private capacity. Mgr. Martina Filippiová, LL.M. graduated from the Faculty of Law of University of West Bohemia in 2009. After several years of employment at the Ministry of Justice of the Czech Republic, she studied Public International Law at Utrecht University in the Kingdom of the Netherlands and received her LL.M. in 2014. Since 2015 she has been working for the Ministry of Foreign Aff airs of the Czech Republic.

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