MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Magallanes co-sponsors reopening of Antarctic base

Magallanes Region in the extreme south of Chile will co-sponsor the reopening of a base in the Antarctic continent which was inaugurated in 1947 but closed down in 2006, allegedly for budget reasons.

Artuto Prat base will be co-managed for the next twenty years between Magallanes region, the Chilean Navy and the Chilean Antarctic Institute which operates from Punta Arenas. However the support vote in the Regional council was divided since some Councillors wanted more time to study the whole operation and its repercussions but it was underlined they were not against the proposition. Magallanes region's contribution includes 1.5 million US dollars for the building of an Antarctic museum dedicated to Chile's links and commitment to Antarctica, dating back to a century, as well as the current effort with the array of bases and stations in the area. Magallanes will also be responsible for the scientific hardware, labs, equipment and facilities for the visiting scientists, which will be main purpose of the former naval settlement. The Navy's responsibility will be the logistics and maintenance, and the Antarctic Institute the overall administration. The base is expected to be reopened, at least partially, sometime in the coming 2008/09 season, depending on climate conditions and the availability of funds. The proposal to reopen Arturo Prat is closely linked to Chile's decision to expand its presence in Antarctica following on several coastal countries intention of reasserting sea bed claims in the framework of the Law of the Sea.