A/RES/57/51 environmental impact assessment in the planning and conduct of all relevant activities in Antarctica, Welcoming the continuing cooperation among countries undertaking scientific research activities in Antarctica, which may help to minimize human impact on the Antarctic environment, Welcoming also the increasing awareness of and interest in Antarctica shown by the international community, and convinced of the advantages to the whole of mankind of a better knowledge of Antarctica, Reaffirming its conviction that, in the interest of all mankind, Antarctica should continue for ever to be used exclusively for peaceful purposes and that it should not become the scene or object of international discord, 1. Takes note of the report of the Secretary-General on the question of Antarctica 3 and the role accorded by the Secretary-General to the United Nations Environment Programme in preparing his report, and also of the Twelfth Special Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, held in The Hague from 11 to 15 September 2000, the Twenty-fourth Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, held in St. Petersburg, Russian Federation, from 9 to 20 July 2001, and the Twenty-fifth Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meeting, held in Warsaw from 10 to 20 September 2002; 2. Recalls the statement under chapter 17 of Agenda 21, 4 adopted by the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, that States carrying out research activities in Antarctica should, as provided for in article III of the Antarctic Treaty, continue: (a) To ensure that data and information resulting from such research are freely available to the international community; (b) To enhance the access of the international scientific community and the specialized agencies of the United Nations system to such data and information, including the encouragement of periodic seminars and symposia; 3. Welcomes the invitations to the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme to attend Antarctic Treaty Consultative Meetings in order to assist such meetings in their substantive work, and urges the parties to continue to do so for future consultative meetings; 4. Welcomes also the practice whereby the Antarctic Treaty Consultative Parties regularly provide the Secretary-General with information on their consultative meetings and on their activities in Antarctica, and encourages the parties to continue to provide the Secretary-General and interested States with information on developments in relation to Antarctica, and requests the SecretaryGeneral to submit a report which shall consist of that information to the General Assembly at its sixtieth session; _______________ 3 A/57/346. See Report of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development, Rio de Janeiro, 3– 14 June 1992 (United Nations publication, Sales No. E.93.I.8 and corrigenda), vol. I: Resolutions Adopted by the Conference, resolution 1, annex II, chap. 17, para. 17.105. 4 2