Montevideo, Jan 20 (Prensa Latina) Uruguay looks to promote and develop strategies that affirm Antarctic policy, affirmed Albert Lluberas, Secretary General of the Uruguayan Antarctic Institute (IAU).

The specialist explained that is one of the central objectives of the mission that arrived on Wednesday to Artigas Scientific Base

Located in the icy region of King George, South Shetland Archipelago, some 199 kilometers of the Antarctic Peninsula. Lluberas declared to pursue a country strategy 'in which all State organisms contribute to a national Antarctic program to develop scientific activities but also defend the rights and interests of Uruguay'.

He said that among the work to be done will be the building of a laboratory of almost 100 square meters with dry and humid cabinets with capacity to burn gases and carry out analysis of these samples which will be transferred afterward to Montevideo.

The financing of this task comes from IAU funds given by the Ministry of Defense to contribute scientific research of that region.

The mission to Antarctica includes also, Ministers Rodolfo Nin Novoa, of Foreign Relations, Eneida de Leon, Housing, Territorial Planning and the Environment, and the viceministers Daniel Montiel of Defense and Jorge Setelich, of Transport and Public Works.

The delegation is also formed by the president of the state company Administracion Nacional de Combustibles, Alcohol and Portland, Marta Jara and the delegate of the Foreign Ministry of IAU, Alberto Fajardo.

That group will be joined by five Uruguayan students winners of the contest First Scientific Antarctic Student Expedition, who travelled accompanied by their professors.

The Artigas Antarctic Base was founded on December 22, 1984 and gives logistic support necessary to carry out different scientific activities both for the national Antarctic programs as others which require their cooperation.