MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine UN ambassador confident US will eventually play a part in Falklands’ dispute

Jorge Argüello, Argentine ambassador before United Nations

Argentine ambassador before United Nations Jorge Agüello said it “is only a matter of time” before the country recovers Falklands/Malvinas sovereignty and anticipated that Washington would play a “dialogue-facilitating” role with the UK in the long standing dispute.

Speaking just hours before the Decolonization Committee meeting that will address the Falklands/Malvinas issue, Argüello reiterated that “Malvinas is the main issue of Argentina’s foreign policy”.

“It’s a mater of time, the Malvinas will return as legal part of Argentine territory. We need to generate the appropriate conditions to force the British counterpart to accept what United Nations has indicated, diplomatic negotiations”, said Argüello.

He added that the US “could play a dialogue facilitating role favouring Argentina” and recalled Secretary of State Hillary Clinton statements when her April visit to Buenos Aires to meet with President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner.

“Mrs. Clinton’s statements had great impact in Britain when she said the US remains neutral in the issue but suggested the possibility that come the time, it could play some facilitating role for Argentina”, pointed out ambassador Argüello.

The UN Decolonization Committee or C24 as it is commonly known is expected as happens every year to express support for Argentina’s position and basically ignore the Falkland Islands right to self-determination.

“We want UK to abide by Resolution 2065, from 1965 which calls on both sides the UK and Argentina to sit round a table and negotiate the Malvinas sovereignty”, said Argüello.

“In this case the UK as a permanent member of the Security Council refuses to accept the terms of the resolution but their position is not supported by law, consensus or the majority of the United Nations”.

The US State Department position has been that it will only play a role in the Falklands dispute if both sides (UK and Argentina) invite Washington to participate.