1.
SV Delegates preparing to leave & walking to aircraft (5 shots)
0.11

2.
SV Delegates boarding aircraft (2 shots)
0.21

3.
SV & GV Aircraft taxiing (2 shots)
0.30

4.
GV South Pole "Scot Base"
0.34

5.
SV & GV Delegates arriving (2 shots)
0.46

6.
GV Flags of participating nations & delegates standing by them (3 shots)
0.54

7.
GV & CU Delegates across snow in dog-sleds (3 shots)
1.02

8.
SV & GV Delegates at base (2 shots)
1.10



Initials ESP/1435 ESP/1452



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: Delegates for 12 nations who have been taking part in the Seventh Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting in Wellington, New Zealand, took off on November 11 for a five-day fact-finding visit to the Antarctic, during which they flew over half the Continent touching at New Zealand, United States and Russian bases.

The delegates represent Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Chile, France, Japan, New Zealand, Norway, South Africa, the United Kingdom, the United States and the USSR.

Their first stop - shown on our film - was at Scott Base in Antarctica. They flew there from Wellington in a New Zealand Royal Air Force (NZRAF) Hercules aircraft, which was the first to make the trip South this summer - and was also carrying 8,000 pounds (3,600 kilograms) of mail and cargo for the Base.

The Antarctic Treaty was sighed in 1959 - with a duration of 30 years. Under its terms, Antarctica was opened to unrestricted scientific exploration in a spirit of international cooperation. Certain countries laying claims to sovereignty of territories in the area, agreed to leave these claims in abeyance while the treaty lasted, without prejudice to their original rights. They also agreed that any cooperative exploration during the Treaty's term would not be used to stake future national claims. If the agreement is renewed indefinitely, it is believed that Antarctica could become the first truly international land of modern times.