Argentina and Brazil agreed in Brasilia to work on strengthening and relaunching the South Atlantic Zone of Peace and Cooperation (ZOPACAS), as a device to encourage cooperation, scientific exchange, security and defence in the region.

The agreement was signed in the context of the visit of the Secretary for Malvinas, Antarctica and the South Atlantic, Guillermo Carmona, to Brazil.

The ZOPACAS bloc is integrated by Argentina, Brazil and Uruguay on the South American side, while the other members are South Africa, Angola, Benin, Cape Verde, Liberia, Namibia, Nigeria, Congo, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo.

During the visit, the Argentine official thanked the Brazilian Foreign Ministry for the country's stance at the UN Decolonisation Committee in favour of Argentina's Malvinas sovereignty claim.

According to Carmona, Brazil sees the Malvinas issue in the framework of the 'need for a zone of peace and cooperation, and warns of the threat posed by the British presence' in the South Atlantic.

Carmona recalled that Brazil - together with Bolivia - were the first to protest the illegal British occupation of the Malvinas in 1833.

In this context, he said his visit to Brazil also aims to resume talks to establish scientific cooperation in the Antarctic bases of both countries.