ESO and Chile sign agreement (1996)

On December 2, 1996, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Chile, Mr. Miguel Insulza (seated to the left in the photo), and the Director General of ESO, Professor Riccardo Giacconi (right), exchanged in Santiago de Chile the Instruments of Ratification of a new Interpretative, Supplementary and Amending Agreement to the 1963 Convention between the Government of Chile and the European Southern Observatory.

This agreement opened a new era of co-operation between Chilean and European Astronomers. For ESO, engaged at Cerro Paranal in the construction of the VLT, it signified a pillar of stability for the future activities of this Organisation in Chile and thus for the development and operation of the VLT observatory into the next century.

At the same time, the Chilean astronomers, by means of guaranteed observing time, will henceforth obtain direct access to the VLT under the privileged skies of their country.