International stations or international research?

Extract

There has been much adverse comment over recent years, especially by those with little practical Antarctic knowledge, of the apparent need to establish a national Antarctic station in order to gain Consultative Status at Treaty Meetings. Why, cry all these querulous voices, can't you co-operate more effectively, stop establishing new national stations and share your stations? Why are there not international rather than national stations in the Antarctic — surely that should be the aim of the Treaty Parties?