MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina walks out of Prosecutors organization to protest Falklands’ membership

IAP was established in 1995 with the support from United Nations

Argentina walked out of the International Association of Prosecutors, IAP, because the Falkland Islands were admitted as a full member of the organization according to press reports from Buenos Aires.

Argentina’s Prosecutor Office notified the decision to IAP offices in The Hague in disagreement with the acceptance of the (disputed) Malvinas Islands, under British rule, as a member of the organization.

Argentina which is a member since 1998, “rejects the recent IAP decision to admit as member a pretended legal department of a territory submitted to a sovereignty controversy”, said the letter signed by Argentina’s Attorney General Esteban Righi and sent to IAP president Francois Falletti from France.

“Such a decision is contrary to the UN General Assembly Resolutions that acknowledge the existence of a sovereignty dispute over the Malvinas, Georgia del Sur and Sandwich del Sur Islands and the adjoining maritime spaces”, adds the letter released Thursday.

Last May the government of the Falkland Islands announced it had been granted organisational membership of the IAP. “Membership is considered a recognition that rule of the law and independence of prosecution in that country complies with internationally accepted standards”.

The Attorney General fulfils the function in the Falkland Islands of Director of Public Prosecutions, and his or her independence from executive control is guaranteed by the 2008 Islands Constitution.

The IAP is the only world wide association of Prosecutors and was established in 1995 with the support of the United Nations. There are currently over 130 organisational members from all regions of the World. Its main purpose is to develop cooperation between prosecutors to enable offenders to be brought to justice more effectively whilst promoting the implementation of universal standards for the Rule of Law.

Argentina is an organisational member, and recently hosted the IAP Latin American Regional Conference in Buenos Aires.

However Argentina regarding the Falklands has a standing sovereignty claim policy extensive to all international forums and organizations, which seems to have become more intense since British companies last February begun drilling for oil in Falklands’ waters.