Chilean legislators held a meeting at the extreme south of the planet in an effort to support the country's territorial claims in Antarctica against the backdrop of Russian actions in the polar region.
Members of the parliamentary defense committee flew to a remote air base in the desert, where they held a meeting designed to reaffirm national sovereignty, reports Associated Press.
"We will meet in Antarctica to reaffirm sovereignty, defense and support of national integrity in the face of any threats", – said committee member Camila Flores, highlighting Russia as the source of such a threat.
The meeting took place amid the recent media frenzy surrounding Russia's alleged discovery of huge oil reserves in Antarctica back in 2020.
Then the Russian polar research vessel “Akademik Alexander Karpinsky” allegedly discovered 500 billion barrels of oil in the region.
The issue resurfaced earlier this month at a meeting of the British Parliament, where experts warned that Russian geological exploration could jeopardize a decade-long ban on mining in the region .
The reports caused concern in Chile and Argentina – two of the seven countries claiming sovereignty over areas of the demilitarized continent.
According to documents submitted to the British Parliament, Russia carried out exploration work in the Weddell Sea, where Chilean territorial claims intersect with those of Great Britain and Argentina.
Prepared by: Sergey Daga