450. Editorial Note

The Antarctic Treaty was negotiated at the Conference on Antarctica held in Washington October 15–December 1, 1959; it was signed by 18 nations on December 1, 1959. For documentation on the sessions of the Conference, see Foreign Relations, 1958–1960, volume II, pages 580632. For text of the Treaty, see 12 UST 794 or American Foreign Policy: Current Documents, 1961, pages 452–458. The United States ratified the treaty on August 18, 1960, and it came into effect on June 23, 1961, after ratification by all the signatories.