and equipment may be used for scientific research
or any other peaceful purpose; Article 2-freedom of scientific
investigation and cooperation shall continue; Article 3-free exchange
of information and personnel in cooperation with the UN and other
international agencies; Article 4-does not recognize, dispute, or
establish territorial claims and no new claims shall be asserted while
the treaty is in force; Article 5-prohibits nuclear explosions or
disposal of radioactive wastes; Article 6-includes under the treaty
all land and ice shelves south of 60 degrees 00 minutes south; Article
7-treaty-state observers have free access, including aerial
observation, to any area and may inspect all stations, installations,
and equipment; advance notice of all activities and of the
introduction of military personnel must be given; Article 8-allows for
jurisdiction over observers and scientists by their own states;
Article 9-frequent consultative meetings take place among member
nations; Article 10-treaty states will discourage activities by any
country in Antarctica that are contrary to the treaty; Article
11-disputes to be settled peacefully by the parties concerned or,
ultimately, by the ICJ; Articles 12, 13, 14-deal with upholding,
interpreting, and amending the treaty among involved nations; other
agreements-more than 170 recommendations adopted at treaty
consultative meetings and ratified by governments include-Agreed
Measures for the Conservation of Antarctic Fauna and Flora (1964);
Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Seals (1972); Convention
on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (1980); a
mineral resources agreement was signed in 1988 but was subsequently
rejected; the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic
Treaty was signed 4 October 1991 and entered into force 14 January
1998; this agreement provides for the protection of the Antarctic
environment through five specific annexes on marine pollution, fauna,
and flora, environmental impact assessments, waste management, and
protected areas; it also prohibits all activities relating to mineral
resources except scientific research; 27 parties have ratified the
Protocol as of April 1998

Legal system: US law, including certain criminal offenses by or
against US nationals, such as murder, may apply to areas not under
jurisdiction of other countries. Some US laws directly apply to
Antarctica. For example, the Antarctic Conservation Act, 16