MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Argentina denies less Antarctic presence.
Argentina denied any closure of Antarctic bases but confirmed significant cuts in operational funds.
According to La Nación, Foreign Minister Rodríguez Giavarini made the announcement after meeting this week with the Senate Foreign Relations Committee adding that "there will be a restructuring of personnel, but none of the bases will be closed".
La Nacion indicates that running the six bases costs three million US dollars per year, including transport, but the coming season the sum will be drastically reduced since less staff will be sent to Antarctica and the monthly flights will now take place every two months.
The Argentine Antarctic presence turned quiet controversial when Clarín published tow weeks ago that Argentina was closing down several bases following Britain's decision not to veto Buenos Aires as the seat of the Antarctic Treaty permanent Secretariat, implying there was a secret agreement between London and Buenos Aires. "It's a great opportunity for Argentina since Antarctic Treaty members represent 84% of the world GDP, and Buenos Aires will host the permanent Secretariat", underlined Mr. Rodríguez Giavarini.
Clarín never disclosed its "diplomatic" and "military" sources, and both the Argentine and British governments vehemently rejected the existence of any agreement or understanding linked to the issue.
For nine years Argentina offered to host the permanent Secretariat but until this year's Antarctic Treaty meeting in Russia, Britain had consistently voted against arguing that Buenos Aires had territorial claims in the Antarctic and an excessive military presence.However Clarín's insistence on a secret British-Argentine understanding unleashed a strong reaction from the Peronist opposition and certain sectors of the ruling coalition, and obviously the Argentine Armed Forces.
"Selecting Argentina as the permanent seat for the Secretariat is a great achievement of Argentine diplomacy", insisted Mr. Rodríguez Giavarini revealing that "an influential factor was Australia's decision to resign its candidacy to the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat".
La Nación finally writes that Mr. Rodríguez Giavarini recalled Mr. Guido Di Tella's contribution, his antecessor, in helping with the diplomatic achievement, adding that "our relations with Great Britain have impr
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