MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina protests visit of Chilean students to Falklands

The students spent three weeks and thoroughly enjoyed their stay (Photo PN)

The recent Chilean students’ visit to the Falkland Islands for three weeks to improve their English and become acquainted with the Islands’ culture was questioned by Argentine diplomatic officials who contacted Punta Arenas mayor Vladimiro Mimica, reports the Sunday edition of La Prensa Austral.

Apparently Celeste Koch from the Argentine embassy in Santiago held an “informal” exchange with Mimica in which she explained that the Argentine government does not approve that Chile, and more precisely a Chilean city, establishes some kind of “written understanding” with the “British administration” of the Falklands, simply because by doing so “it was recognizing the legality of a government in a disputed territory”.

“The mayor understood the situation and it was convened that things would be done adequately”, said the Argentine embassy Press attaché Natacha Martínez.

The report from La Prensa Austral adds that it was not possible to obtain a reply or statement from the Chilean Foreign Affairs ministry on the issue.

A few weeks ago (June 5) a group of Chilean students from Punta Arenas travelled to the Falklands sponsored by Punta Arenas city government, Lan Chile and the British consulate.
Apparently the event had a previous Argentine protest because on leaving the mayor wished the students a good trip and a pleasant stay in the “Falklands”.

The Chilean consul in Ushuaia Francisco Gormaz Lira somehow managed the situation saying that the mayor’s reference to Falklands instead of Malvinas was a “regretful error and a major carelessness”.

The consul also ratified that Chile “recognizes Argentina’s right to sovereignty claim over the Malvinas Islands” and does so in all international forums.

This latest incident comes on top of the recent Falklands’ decision to cancel a sea link with Punta Areas, supposedly because of the extremely high cots of the local port’s services and “restrictions imposed by Argentina on vessels crossing its waters” and heading for the Falklands/Malvinas, concludes the Sunday piece in La Prensa Austral. .