MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay confirms Antarctic commitment.

Uruguay's Antarctic Institute president Rear Admiral Hugo Viglietti denied press reports indicating the institute faced a “dramatic situation” and insisted Uruguay has a “solid standing” in Antarctic affairs.

Press reports this week in Montevideo said Uruguay run the risk of loosing its Antarctic base because of "budget problems".

R/A Viglietti admitted that the Uruguayan Antarctic Institute is in arrears with the Scientific Antarctic Research Committee but the figure is only "32,000 US dollars and not 160,000 dollars as was published".

He added that even having to deal with half the budget of ten years ago, the current situation is "far from dramatic" and under no circumstances "are we thinking of abandoning our base in Antarctica (King George Island)".

R/A Viglietti said that another factor that has influenced the "contraction" is the price of fuel which has been partly compensated by sponsors and a budding tourist industry. Besides "we continue to develop programs and currently we have fifteen scientific research activities".

Finally it was announced that in the coming days a Uruguayan Air Force Hercules C-130 would be flying to Antarctica with equipments and supplies for the several research programs.