Meeting with US Ambassador

This morning in Reykjavik Richard Page (UK) from Greenpeace
International and I met with U.S. Ambassador James Gadsden and his
staff. For more than an hour we shared our mutual concerns and
bewilderment that Iceland has so suddenly begun whaling again after 14
years. He indicated that he has also shared the U.S.'s official
opposition to whaling with Iceland's political leadership and was eager
to explore ways to get them back in compliance.

Both he and his staff applauded Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior tour of
Iceland and the constructive dialogue we have initiated with the
Icelandic people. They wondered if concerns about toxic contamination
in whale meat may also help galvanize public opinion against whaling.
They were also impressed with Greenpeace's offer to promote nature based
tourism in Iceland IF Iceland discontinues whaling. One Icelandic
embassy staffer pointed out that although pro-whalers claim that whaling
is an Icelandic tradition, Iceland itself only began whaling in the
1950s. Before that he said it was mostly Norwegians who were whaling in
Iceland. We left hopeful that our combined efforts will soon result in
Iceland abandoning whaling and embrace sustainable ventures such as
whale watching.

-- Rick

[Rick works for Greenpeace USA. He is in Iceland just briefly, mainly
to meet with the US Ambassador to Iceland and impress on him the
importance of this issue to Greenpeace USA members, but he also had time
to help us with our lines as we came into dock...]