MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Joint British Argentina surveys.

Argentine and British officials will be meeting this month to assess ways to elaborate a joint survey of the continental shelf in the South Atlantic in the proximity of the Falkland Islands to comply with the United Nations Law of the Sea specifications concerning the expansion of the economic zone.

According to Buenos Aires press the Argentine government last week also convened interested parties in an international bid for the first seismic and oceanic currents surveys in the northern edge of the Argentine EEZ, next to the maritime border with Uruguayan waters.

All coastal countries following the Law of the Sea Conference regarding continental shelf have until December 31st. 2005 to present their aspirations of advancing economic rights in their economic zones beyond the current 200 miles up to 350 miles. COPLA, a National Committee on Continental Platform Limits is responsible in Argentina for the undertaking.

The Argentine press indicated that in disputed areas the current international maritime legislation contemplates three options: one of the parties involved makes a unilateral presentation and the other abstains; a joint presentation of both parties and finally one of the parties rejects the other's presentation which annuls the whole demand.

Regarding the northern edge surveys, Argentine officials said interested parties have until June 29th. to purchase conditions and tenders will be officially opened August 1st.

A multilateral committee with members from the United Nations, Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Navy's Hydrographic Survey plus COPLA will assess bids and it's expected that by mid October the winning company should begin organizing for the summer months work.

Air Force border exercises

Trade relations in Mercosur might not be at its best, but the Argentine and Brazilian Air Forces will be training for hot pursuit of unidentified planes crossing their common border.<'>Operations are expected to begin next June 16th. extending until June 22nd., and will take place in the north of Argentina and heartland of Brazil. Mobile radars in Misiones, Argentina, and Santa María, Brazil will help from the ground to coordinate the monitoring of fugitive aircraft that cross the border, currently at a monthly average rate of sixty.

Brazilian Tucano and Argentine Pucara aircrafts will have the responsibility of pursuing fleeing planes from their respective neighbor's airspace. For the exercise joint military aircraft will be involved in the simulated operat