As readers may recall, we've pointed out that the British claim to Antarctica is sort of Mickey Mouse (note ears) from the Daily Mail's This is London:
Russia has found huge oil and gas reserves in British Antarctic territory, potentially leading to drilling in the protected region.
The reserves uncovered contain around 511bn barrels worth of oil, equating to around 10 times the North Sea’s output over the last 50 years.
The discovery, per Russian research ships, was revealed in evidence submitted to the Commons Environment Audit Committee last week. The committee was assessing questions regarding oil and gas research on ships owned by the Kremlin’s Rosgeo, the largest geological exploration company in Russia.
Antarctica is currently protected by the 1959 Antarctic Treaty, which prohibits all oil developments in the area....
....MUCH MORE
Related, October 2007:Britain to claim a million square km of Antarctica: Here We Go Again
When I saw this yesterday I thought there was some material for "The Onion" in here somewhere. No need. The real headlines are pretty good.
From Time Oct.17:
The British Are Coming — to Antarctica
In politics as in medicine, there are some contagions that spread despite the most prudent vaccines. Witness the news this week that the United Kingdom has decided to lay claim to 385,000 sq mi (1 million sq km) of seabed off the coast of Antarctica, despite being a signatory to the 1959 treaty that was supposed to protect the earth's most desolate continent from the vagaries of international competition....MORE
From Reuters Oct. 18:
The government plans to submit a claim to the United Nations to extend its Antarctic territory by a million square kilometres, the foreign office said on Wednesday....MORE
From the National Post, Oct. 19:
British claim heats up South Pole politics
Two of Canada's top experts on polar politics are sounding an alarm over Britain's plan to claim more than one million square kilometres of seabed territory off the coast of Antarctica -- and questioning Canada's official indifference toward the controversial proposal....MORE
From the Guardian, Oct. 19:
Argentina ready to challenge Britain's Antarctic claims
Argentina's foreign minister has warned that the UK will be challenged over any claim to parts of the southern Atlantic seabed, and that his country will apply for sovereignty over the ocean floor around the Falkland Islands and Antarctica....MORE
From the BBC, Oct. 19:
Chile repeats own Antarctic claim
The Chilean government has reiterated its own claims to parts of Antarctic territory and waters....MOREFrom the Guardian, Oct. 19:
Green groups condemn UK's claim in Antarctica
Environmental groups yesterday condemned British plans to claim sovereignty over a vast tract of the seabed off the coast of Antarctica, with Greenpeace and WWF expressing dismay that the Foreign Office was contemplating possible oil, gas and mineral exploration in the region....MORE
