MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands/Malvinas: Argentina condemns UK “militaristic regrettable statements”

General Leopoldo Galtieri, appealing to false nationalism invaded the Falklands in 1982

The verbal escalation between the Argentine and British governments in the Falklands/Malvinas Islands sovereignty issue continued Monday with strong exchange of statements.

Argentina’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning British Defence Minister Liam Fox’s earlier remarks, in which he stated that the UK has the political will and military means to defend the Islands, adding that Argentine politicians “huff and puff” will not affect London’s resolve.

“The Argentine Government strongly condemns British Defence Minister Liam Fox’s regrettable statements on the Malvinas Islands,” the statement reads.

“By choosing to ignore the international community’s calls to negotiate the islands sovereignty, the British Government continues to show its contempt over international law” it adds.

The communiqué then blasts the United Kingdom’s statements, which “evidence once more their militarist attitude towards the South Atlantic” area.

“Argentina will never accept such bellicose provocations and will continue to comply with its obligations as a responsible member of the international community,” it reads.

The statements concludes by warning that “in times in which the world is still struggling with the aftermath of a grave financial crisis, the Defence Minister remarks regarding military spending are particularly unfortunate, since those resources could be spent in benefit of the population. History is filled with false leaders that appeal to a false nationalism as a distraction to their internal issues. We also know the outcome of that.”

Fox after addressing the UK Reform think-tank stated that “those in politics on the other side of the world can huff and puff but it will not change our resolve politically to retain the independence and the sovereignty of the Malvinas Islands nor to come to their defence and to maintain deterrence as best we can”.

”We have Typhoons already stationed there. We have a very clear message that we have both the naval power if necessary, and certainly an intent to ensure that the Falkland Islands are kept free and their people enjoy the liberation we fought so hard for 30 years ago,” he concluded.