At the first meeting of the 39 Antarctica ##n nations , Australia and France proposed that Antarctica be turned into a wilderness area and that the Minerals Convention of 1988 , which took six years to negotiate be scrapped . Britain and the United States refused to discuss this proposal and insisted upon implementing the convention , which creates a framework for mining under strict environmental guidelines , by discussing clauses that would apportion compensation in the case of mining pollution . Both side refused to compromise by would not destroy the 30 year old Antarctic Treaty by walking out . "Is it inevitable that a mine site somewhere in Antarctica would despoil all Antarctica? Another two meetings will be held in Chile next year .
At the first meeting of the 39 Antarctica ##n nations , Australia and France proposed that Antarctica be turned into a wilderness area and that the Minerals Convention of 1988 , which took six years to negotiate be scrapped . Britain and the United States refused to discuss this proposal and insisted upon implementing the convention , which creates a framework for mining under strict environmental guidelines , by discussing clauses that would apportion compensation in the case of mining pollution . Both side refused to compromise by would not destroy the 30 year old Antarctic Treaty by walking out . Another two meetings will be held in Chile next year .