MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK minister Browne to meet Piñera two days ahead of Cristina Fernandez

Jeremy Browne interested in discussing in Chile a wide range of bilateral issues

The UK’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Jeremy Browne arrives Monday in Chile for a two day visit and has scheduled a meeting with President Sebastián Piñera. The event consequently takes place just before Argentine President Cristina Fernández official visit on March 15 and in the lead up to the 30th anniversary of the Malvinas War.

Browne once again rejected the notion of discussing the Falklands/Malvinas islands, questioned the Government’s regional policies on the issue and assured that UK’s stance on the Islands’ sovereignty is based on the self-determination right of its residents,” in an interview with Chilean newspaper El Mercurio.

When asked if the Falklands dispute is used by Prime Minister David Cameron to cover up domestic trouble, as the Argentine Government argues, Browne refused to comment but did make a connection between Argentine citizens and their concerns over the islands.

“I think that a normal Argentine citizen wants to have a good job with a good income for his family. If I were Argentine, a stable economy, low inflation and jobs would be more important to me than the Falklands Islands, which most Argentines haven’t visited and make no difference in their lives,” Browne assured in an interview with the Chilean newspaper.

The British Minister of State for Foreign Affairs also blasted Argentine measures which make it harder for the Islands to access basic supplies, such as decree 256 which states that all ships that want to navigate between Argentine ports and the Falklands Malvinas must request authorization.

“We hope that people in Chile, Brazil, Uruguay and other countries are able to see that it not alright when a large and powerful country sets a blockade to reduce the quality of lifestyle of people living in remote islands.”

Browne also stressed the fact that “Britain’s stance over the Falklands Islands sovereignty is well known and is based on the people’s right of self-determination to choose their own future, a stance supported by the United Nations. This is a good principle which I believe is understood by all countries. I do not see many nations in the world saying that they do not want their self-determination right, or that they want to be stripped from their rights, handed over to another country and be forced to act against their own will.”

Regarding the military display in the Islands, the British official said that the UK does not intend to start a military conflict in the area, but we must always be prepared. “The Falklands are properly defended and we must defend them due to the political situation created by Argentina. We do not want to initiate a military dispute in the South Atlantic but we have learnt that we must always be prepared, even if we mean to be peaceful. The people of the Falklands want to live in peace and decide their own future. We learnt that 30 years ago,” he emphasized.

Regarding Chile, Browne said that historically bilateal relations have been strong in spite of the fact that the Piñera administration adherid to the Mercosur decision barring Falklands’ flagged vessels from calling at the regional ports.

“Britain wants a good fluid relation with Chile in spite of the Falklands” said Browne adding “I don’t want people to think that is the only reason why I’m travelling to Santiago”, pointed out Browne.

However, “Falklands are an important issue, but our relations with Chile are quite wide, which extends to such areas such as sport, culture, education, trade and politics”.

Browne is scheduled to meet besides President Piñera with Foreign Affairs minister, Alberto Moreno; Finance, Felipe Larraín and Economy, Pablo Longueira, as well as a conference at the Chilean-British chamber of commerce and a visit to the Chilean Olympic Committee.