MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Argentina and Chile armies agree on Antarctica rescue and support operations
The Chilean and Argentine military officers shake hands following the signing of the document relative to Paracah activities (Pic LPA) The armies of Argentina and Chile have completed the details for this Antarctic season PARACAH (Antarctic Combined Rescue Patrol Argentina-Chile) 2015 exercise that became effective as of August and extends until next year, and which besides combined rescue operations also refers to collaboration in scientific and research issues in Antarctica.
The four day meeting in Punta Arenas, extreme south of Chile was held under the umbrella of the XV Bilateral Meeting of Antarctica organizations from the armies of Argentina and Chile and refers to the Paracah on land exercise scheduled to take off this month and again in September, depending on climate and ice conditions. It was also agreed that the Paracah 2016 exercise will take place in August/September next year close to a Chilean refuge in Antarctica.
Attending the ceremony were Argentine Brigade General Justo Francisco Treviranus, head of the Argentine Army Antarctica department and Chilean Brigade General Felipe Arancibia, commander of the Chilean army Vth. Division. Some of the guests included the Argentine consul in Punta Arenas Jorge Horacio Insausti, Colonel German Arias A., head of the Chilean army Antarctic department and Chilean Brigade General Luis Espinoza A, Vth Division head of operations.
Other points agreed in the agenda included an informative document on the combined activities of the two armies in benefit of scientific research in Antarctica which is to the presented to the Latin American Antarctica Programs 2015 Conference and the Advisory Antarctic Treaty meeting.
Likewise it was agreed to continue collecting satellite imagery and charting of the operation areas to update the information and offer adequate and improved conditions for the planning, exploration and scientific activities in Antarctica.
“These agreements are to the benefit of our Antarctica stations and mainly to support those units of our armies so they can be prepared, in the event of extreme situations in Antarctica, and that is why we must continue to train in a combined and efficient way”, said the Chilean Brigade General Arancibia.
His Argentine counterpart, Brigade General Treviranus was equally enthusiastic about the results of the meeting, “this, as has always been with armies, was achieved with great respect and with the purpose of integration and promoting good relations. Our future is promising, we both need each other, in all places, but particularly in Antarctica, and so this is why it is essential we agree on theses accords”.
The next bilateral meeting of the armies' Antarctica departments is scheduled to be held in Buenos Aires, July 2016.
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Read all commentsHow very magnanimous of our armed forces to continue to provide emergency cover for the depleted Argentina presence in the Antarctic.
Aug 03rd, 2015 - 11:00 am +1Argie army gets in to problems = Chilean rescue:
http://archivo.losandes.com.ar/notas/2005/9/19/sociedad-167527.asp
Argie air force gets in to trouble = Chilean rescue:
http://archivo.losandes.com.ar/notas/2005/9/19/sociedad-167527.asp
Argie cruise ship gets in to trouble = Chilean rescue:
http://archivo.losandes.com.ar/notas/2005/9/19/sociedad-167527.asp
It can only be a matter of time before the more astute Argies work out that their nation's presence on the continent is nothing more than a collection of shacks without the infrastructure to facilitate useful research or even provide a basic level of safety for the poor souls that dwell there. The clearest example of this was the rescue of an Argie commander from an Argie base by our air force:
http://archivo.losandes.com.ar/notas/2005/9/19/sociedad-167527.asp
Requiring Chilean help whilst in trouble out in the wilderness is one thing, but having to request Chilean medical evacuation of your military commander from your own base is so ridiculous that it should increase neurotransmitter activity in even the most brainwashed Argies.
Fair go... didn't the RGs beg a C-130 from Uruguay recently? Its not just Chile they free load off...
Aug 03rd, 2015 - 11:31 am +1@2 Frank
Aug 03rd, 2015 - 12:15 pm +1Yes they did, although that was to cover the other embarrassment of their Antarctic pretence: supply.
They haven't got the hardware to even supply their bases. They charter an ice-breaker from the Russians, they had to borrow the C-130 you mention from Uruguay and even charter a luxury cruise ship at great expense. All the while $millions are spent “repairing” their own ice-breaker.
They boast 13 bases in order to fool the folk at home that they are in some way significant on the continent, but they only have one airstrip - fewer than any other nation that claims territory on the continent. In reality these bases are squats. All are on the coast or islands so they can be supplied by boat. They have nothing inland.
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