STOCKHOLM, Jan. 21 (Xinhua) -- Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg inspected his country's research station in Antarctica on Saturday and Sunday and studied the influence of climate change on the frozen continent.

    Norway, which has for a long time paid great attention to the study of Antarctica, will continue to play an important role in the continent, said the prime minister during an inspection of the Troll research station in Queen Maud Land in Antarctica.

    On Saturday he opened the new Norwegian satellite station TrollSat, located at the research station, and laid the foundation stone for the Galileo navigation station next to TrollSat.

    The Galileo station will be part of the European navigation system Galileo, which will be operational in 2013.

    Stoltenberg also studied the influence of global climate change on the ice masses in Antarctica.

    The melting of glaciers in Antarctica is accelerating due to global warming, which issues a warning to human beings, he said.

    If policy-makers in the world don't heed the warning, that will be "irresponsible," he said.

    Stoltenberg flew to Antarctica after a visit to South Africa. This is the first inspection of Antarctica by a Norwegian prime minister.