Defence Minister Jorge Taiana spoke to Radio Nacional in a new edition of the "Federal Interview".

In this radio programme, journalists ask questions from the 50 stations of the state-owned radio station distributed throughout the country.

In this context, Taiana explained that "when we say that our strategy is defensive, it does not mean unarmed; it does mean with a capacity for deterrence".

"In this sense," he said, "we want to strengthen our presence in the south, which is why we are reopening the 10th Brigade in Río Gallegos”.

"We have also begun to synchronize flights that will connect Gallegos with Río Grande," he added.

"Our country has great physical integration difficulties and that is why we are facilitating communication with Aerolíneas Argentinas flights," he added.

The minister also said that "progress is being made on the first army base in Tierra del Fuego".

He also highlighted progress in the construction of the main house of the Petrel Joint Antarctic Base.

According to Taiana, "it will be finished before the end of the year and will be of the highest standard".

Taiana also said that "Argentina is a country regarded with respect among the founders of the Antarctic Treaty".

The official also pointed out that "right-wing governments had a very anti-integration stance".

For them, he said, "we had to join the world on our own and the fewer ties, the better off we would be".

"But that has proved to be untrue," Taiana said.

And he concluded: "there is now a revaluation of integration. We are moving from a bipolar world to a multipolar world".