MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile and Argentina Joint Ozone Program

Chile and Argentina will be launching a joint scientific research program in Patagonia to monitor the deterioration of the ozone layer. The event will take place during Chilean president Ricardo Lagos official state visit to Argentina beginning this Thursday.

After arriving in Buenos Aires and holding a first meeting with Argentine counterpart Nestor Kirchner, on Friday both presidents will fly to El Calafate in the province of Santa Cruz for the official ceremony of the program involving scientists from both countries.

Patagonia is one of the areas most affected by the thinning of the ozone layer, the atmosphere shield that protects the Earth from the ultra violet rays. The expanding ozone layer hole has been under world scientific research for the last thirty years and this year threatens to cover an area of over 28,3 million square kilometres, according to the latest reports from the Australian Antarctic Division.

It's an area equivalent to twice the Antarctic surface and seven times the joint area of Argentina and Chile.

Since August 1990 Chilean and Argentine presidents meet regularly, but this is the first time President Kirchner will be officially receiving President Lagos for a state visit.

The Chilean president is also scheduled to address the Argentine General Assembly.

Before the presidential summit, a 2 + 2 meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Defence will be taking place in Buenos Aires. The meeting is in the framework of the confidence building understanding between both countries and addresses common security and foreign policy issues.