MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
UK confirms BAS first-class scientific research and Antarctica strategic presence
Plans to merge the British Antarctic Survey (closely linked to the Falkland Islands) and the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) have been ruled out, Science minister David Willetts announced. In a written statement he said the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC) had decided not to proceed with the proposal. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesHmmm .... keeping and eye on British Antarctica :-)
Nov 02nd, 2012 - 11:47 pm - Link - Report abuse 01 Lord Ton
Nov 03rd, 2012 - 12:15 am - Link - Report abuse 0From where? Nearby Pattaya?
thank god someone had some common sense.
Nov 03rd, 2012 - 12:43 am - Link - Report abuse 0Stepping stones - all the way down the Atlantic MoreCrap - all the way to British Antarctica.
Nov 03rd, 2012 - 09:30 am - Link - Report abuse 0Pattaya is in the Gulf of Thailand - didn't they do geography in your school ??
Hey guys did you know the RG Antarctic base is a military one!!!, yep true with weapons. Thought the antarctic was zone without military bases!! Wasn't there a treaty. they also flew and fly pregnant women in to the base to give birth to supposedly prove there claim to the territory, desperate measures
Nov 03rd, 2012 - 09:37 am - Link - Report abuse 0Lord Ton - agreed, a most sensible outcome to the integration nonsense which previously prevailed, but the cautionary signal from John Dudeney is to be watched... ultimate devil in the detail and treasury folks will look for high cost ship savings, but as Santa Fe says better to have a nice civilian presence undertaking proper and expansive science than a covert umbrella for partial militarisation... arms probably to protect officers from the lower ranks!
Nov 03rd, 2012 - 10:10 am - Link - Report abuse 0“this country's strategic presence in Antarctica and the South Atlantic”
Nov 03rd, 2012 - 11:03 am - Link - Report abuse 0And this strategic presence is what, exactly. Don't tell me its all for Falklands' self determination, which may itself, shock horror, be a means to an end to the British ruling class...
/random platitude
Nov 03rd, 2012 - 01:36 pm - Link - Report abuse 0BAS has great website, and advert for jobs as well: http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/
Nov 03rd, 2012 - 01:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Rockhopper videos of TV series on Antarctic themes:
http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/
Question:
Not sure if its BAS Ernest Shackleton moored at Rothera base in Google Maps satellite image (http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/ because helicopter pad seems too far forward compared to schematic:
http://www.antarctica.ac.uk/
@5 Yep, knew that. Have there not been instances of the argies testing tanks in the Antarctic. Also in breach of the Treaty.
Nov 03rd, 2012 - 02:38 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@7 Britain is, of course, entitled to be wherever it wants to be. The Antarctic, the South Sandwich Islands, South Georgia, the Falkland Islands, St Helena, Tristan da Cunha, Ascension Island, Gibraltar, Pitcairn Island, the Caribbean, Cyprus, the British Indian Ocean Territory. It's like a net. Wonder how long it will be before Scotland is begging to become a colony. And the UK says “No”.
7... What are Argentina doing in Antarctica in their military base???? Why the weapons, why military garrison, surely this is against the Antarctic treaty
Nov 03rd, 2012 - 05:02 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@10 conqueror/captain poppy
Nov 03rd, 2012 - 06:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0shut up stupid arse!
Sure looks like an Argentine military effort at their Marambio Base:
Nov 03rd, 2012 - 06:58 pm - Link - Report abuse 0http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marambio_Base
And the Fuerza Aerea Argentina appears to justify its presence as providing logistical support for scientific work:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marambio_Base
However, apart from military, Argentina has an Artists program, including both Argentine and foreign artists to fly to Marabio and/or Esperanza bases, do their art stuff ,and then put it on display. The irony is that British artists (as well as Australian, Canadian, Austrian) are amongst the foreigners taking advantage of the program.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marambio_Base
Google Maps satellite view of Marabio: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marambio_Base
Google Maps satellite view of Esperanza: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marambio_Base
@10 Conqueror/captain poppy
Nov 03rd, 2012 - 07:02 pm - Link - Report abuse 0the UK owes 2 trillon dollars...start paying!
@10 conqueror/captain poppy
Nov 03rd, 2012 - 07:48 pm - Link - Report abuse 0shut up old man!
14... Every modern power owes loads of cash, but the difference is we can all afford the repayments, sadly the Rgs can't that is why people keep impounding your glorious naval vessels jajajajaja
Nov 03rd, 2012 - 09:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0If the Argies had anything other than hand guns at their comic bases on the Antarctic Peninsula, then they would be in breach of the Antarctic Treaty, and the US inspectors would have declared war by now.
Nov 04th, 2012 - 01:38 am - Link - Report abuse 0Which is why we send naval vessels - the seas are excluded from the Treaty :-)
Argentina is merely trying to get a claim that it hasn't got. When/if the Treaty breaks they'll get trampled in the stampede.
14
Nov 04th, 2012 - 09:07 am - Link - Report abuse 0The UK IS paying you deadbeat. That's why their sovereign state credit rating is still AAA . On the other hand, Argentina ISN'T repaying its debt and it's credit rating is B minus. Do you see the difference?
18... These trolls have a very basic education, and probably don't understand that a capitalist economies have in the past and in the future run by borrowing money it's the way the world works.
Nov 04th, 2012 - 10:41 am - Link - Report abuse 0Imagine borrowing from a loan shark in BA ghetto, if you pay him back regular everything is fine, if you start defaulting on the loan he breaks ya legs.
19 Santa Fe
Nov 04th, 2012 - 11:32 am - Link - Report abuse 0You're right. I shouldn't expect any different.
Where are you from? What's your background? Forgive me if you've explained previously. I don't spend much time on Mercopress anymore.
Civil engineer from Cotswolds. Remember the invasion by the Rgs when I was a school kid, took a dislike of SA bullies from that day on really.
Nov 04th, 2012 - 01:33 pm - Link - Report abuse 0#10
Nov 04th, 2012 - 01:48 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Wonder how long it will be before Scotland is begging to become a colony. And the UK says “No”
The United Kingdom of what --England ?
Keep it up and continue with your Morris dancing !
21 Santa Fe
Nov 04th, 2012 - 02:06 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Cheers mate. Thanks for your support.
@18 joe fogsthe UK owes 2 trillon dollars...pay your bills damn idiot!
Nov 04th, 2012 - 06:40 pm - Link - Report abuse 024 BAI
Nov 04th, 2012 - 07:00 pm - Link - Report abuse 0What part of my post at 18 don't you understand?
@5
Nov 04th, 2012 - 07:56 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“they also flew and fly pregnant women in to the base to give birth to supposedly prove there claim to the territory”
Just out of interest, did these Antarctic babies actually stay and live there or bugger off back with their mums to sunny BA?
@17
”Which is why we send naval vessels - the seas are excluded from the Treaty :-)”
However as the UK actually abides by treaties (unlike Argentina)when RN ships enter the Antarctic all their weapons are disarmed and stowed away until they leave Antarctic territory.
@10
“Have there not been instances of the argies testing tanks in the Antarctic”
Did they actually work? Their knowledge of their beloved Falklands was so great that the RGs sent armoured cars to the FIs that couldn't actually access the camp outside Stanley-even the UK who didn't seem to know much about the FIs pre-82 actually sent Scimitars and Scorpions that did very well-pity more weren't sen tand pity the stupid buggers in the MOD withdrew the RN's Hovercraft in 1972.
25 -24
Nov 05th, 2012 - 12:39 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Oh dear back to basic capitalist economic model lessons for the trolls.
@25 Joe Blogs aka self determination
Nov 06th, 2012 - 04:46 pm - Link - Report abuse 0this ONE!
Looks like could be big problems for Antarctic ecosystem management from China. China is active on Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, and according to article linked below, appears quite satisfied to see no progress on environmental safeguards for Ross Sea region.
Nov 07th, 2012 - 06:18 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Western Engagement Meets Chinese Obstructionism:
http://www.worldaffairsjournal.org/blog/gordon-g-chang/western-engagement-meets-chinese-obstructionism?
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