Chile to claim seabed off Antarctica

Source: Independent Online

Chile to claim seabed off Antarctica

October 22 2007 at 08:47PM

Santiago - Chile announced on Monday it plans to claim sovereignty over parts of the seabed off Antarctica, following similar announcements by Argentina and Britain.

"Chile will present a claim before the (UN) Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (UNCLCS,) along the lines determined by Chile's geo-economic and political situation," Foreign Minister Alexandro Foxley told journalists.

Submissions for rights over seabed up to 350 miles off existing territories must be made by May 2009.

Environmetal groups last week criticized Britain for saying it was studying plans to claim a potentially lucrative extension of the Continental Shelf, and warned that any offshore drilling for oil and gas in the area would have a devastating impact on the fragile marine econology of the region.



Read more: http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=143&art_id=nw20071022200103223C218993