UK looks to make Antarctica claim
October 17, 2007
Britain is looking to claim sovereignty over a large area of the remote seabed off Antarctica.
The claim for an area around British Antarctica is one of a number being prepared by the Foreign Office, a spokeswoman said.
Rights to tap resources such as oil and gas reserves come with sovereignty over such areas.
A joint claim with France, Spain and the Irish Republic has already been made for part of the Bay of Biscay.
The other areas include seabed around South Georgia and the Falkland Islands, around Ascension Island and in the Hatton/Rockall basin, off the west coast of Scotland.
The deadline for submitting claims, which can be made for up to 350 miles off existing territories, is May 2009.
Researchers are currently compiling the geological case for the submissions.
"At the moment we are not in a position to submit these other claims," the spokeswoman said.
"But it's something we certainly anticipate doing prior to the deadline of 2009."
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