Foreign Office says economic blockade and intimidation of the Falklands’ people is “unacceptable”
“It is unacceptable to engage in an economic blockade of the Falklands, there can be no justification, legal, moral or political, for efforts to intimidate the people of the Falkland Islands”, said Foreign Officer Minister Jeremy Browne on Wednesday.
This was the first official reaction from Britain to Tuesday’s statement by Mercosur country members to bar from their ports all vessels flying the Falklands’ flag.
“I am concerned by the decision of the Mercosur group of countries to prevent ships that fly the flag of the Falkland Islands from entering their ports. Falklands-flagged vessels have been regular visitors to South American ports for 150 years”, said Mr Browne.
The ban on Falklands’ flagged vessels was made public in Montevideo at the end of a two-day Mercosur summit hosted by Uruguay’s Jose Mujica and which convened presidents Cristina Fernandez from Argentina; Dilma Rousseff from Brazil; Fernando Lugo from Paraguay, plus Hugo Chavez from Venezuela, whose country is in the process of full incorporation to the group and Ecuador’s Rafael Correa who formally requested to become a member of the South American trade block.
Browne added that it is not yet clear what the practical impact of the Mercosur statement might be “as it reflects similar language used in the region previously. Some countries take a different view from us on our sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. It is for the people of the Falkland Islands to determine their future”.
However “it is unacceptable to engage in an economic blockade of the Falklands. Mercosur should take the responsible decision and not do this. There can be no justification – legal, moral or political – for efforts to intimidate the people of the Falkland Islands”.
Finally Browne said he had instructed British Ambassadors in the region to raise this issue as a matter of urgency to clarify exactly whether or how Mercosur countries propose to implement this agreement.
“We will then consider our next steps in light of information we receive. But no one should be in any doubt about the British Government’s commitment to support the Falkland Islanders’ right to determine their own political future” concluded the Foreign Office Minister.
According to the Falklands Fishing companies association, FIFCA, the Falkland Islands have been part of the red ensign group since 1861 and since 2003 has adopted parts I and II of the UK merchant shipping Act 1995”.
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32 comments Feed
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BUT
this is reality ( real politic )....!!
Guess what Mr Browne, not anymore.
Well lets all pray he gets his way could we think of a better way to show our Brasilian and Uruguayan friends just how nice the English are.
As well it will surely speed up both Argentinas and Brasils development of their own Nuclear subs projected for 2018
Go on David do it send it the forces show us Brittania rules the waves
Hey watch out everyone, we got a badass over here.
Someone is getting mad. Haha!
www.marinetraffic.com/ais/shipdetails.aspx?MMSI=740352000
British people have never ever stood for a bullyboy(or bitch) - bout time she read a few history books!
First of the British are being very mature, gentlemanly and very polite,
If you children were to put your brain in gear, before your mouth, then you surely would be worrying, [you aren’t worried are you]
Shows how just ignorant you may well be.
The British government won’t send a nuclear sub, silly,
We have the astute and other subs, that can do you more harm than you may well think,
[Did you see her doing the testing in the Mexican gulf, the Americans were most impressed,
The UK will slowly turn the screw on you, and force the situation well before military action
Is needed, when the time comes, you will be left all alone, as one by one her friends desert her,
But hey, her loyal bloggers will stand by her,
Except those who are hiding in other countries , very safe,
Merry xmas, we think not
.
Good to see Argentina as the accused, for a change :-)
@ 18 very interesting indeed :)
not outdated xboxes,
and a non merry new year to you hasbeens .
You'll find us on IslandS ...... everywhere :-)
Comment deleted by editor.
Finally Mercopress Editor did some justice. This man needs to correct their education. The essence of democracy is thinking differently, tolerated without going to the damage and insults out of place.
The intimidating attitude is the one from the British authorities and the corporate media surrounding them. Headlines of oil companies investing in Malvinas, the Submarine, little diplomatic exacerbated words from politicians, etc...
Our submarine: real, in the water NOW, armed with allsorts of weapons, including nuclear: Argentine regular or extra crispy in 35 minutes.
Your nuclear submarine: product of some old Wops' imagination with all of an extra 1.8B$ US in 'defence' spending, going to sweep the shipyard out in 2012 to 'start'. Ha, Ha, Ha.
You could not make this up, unless you are an Argie!
All the world know this true, including the england people.
Poor England, small, little island is sinking
We don’t wish you embarrass you old chap
But this tiny island beat you to a pulp,
This tiny island, out manned out gunned facing more ships and an onslaught of your planes,
And this tiny island beat you,
What a shameful embarrassment to a big country like Argentina,
[mug]
29 johnfarrel2050
For an anti imperialist country, Argentina is trying very hard to become one herself, is she not?
Try again with your Argentina history .
.
He failed to point out all the major issues:
The British people lived on the Falkland Islands before Argentina even existed! How can they possibly have a claim to them?
International law gives the islanders the right to self determination: they have stated that they want to stay British so have the right to do so.
Preventing the free movement of shipping in international waters is illegal under international law.
The South American countries could prosper with the new business the Falklands Islands Oil boom will bring.
Get your act together Jezzer Browne, you are an international representative of the UK government, start acting like one.
Meanwhile, lets all boycott Argentinian products. We don't need them as much as they need us.
Your increase in 'defence' spending is 1.8B$ US on last year, or are you saying the figures are wrong and the Wop who is your 'Minister of Defense' is lying? It would not surprise me if that were the case.
”Midium (sic) range rockest to wipe off the colony in our islands” well, that's defensive isn't it. Trying (but not succeeding) to get rid of 3,000 peaceful people who have been on the Falklands (there are no Malvinas) almost longer than 'Argentina' has existed.
No mention of MEDIUM range rockets in the Wops summary of what you are attempting to do with this pitiful sum and do you really think we would standby and let you launch more than one rocket before the whole launch installation was wiped off the face of the earth?
Astute class, nuclear powered, attack submarine. Think again.
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