MercoPress, en Español

Montevideo, April 19th 2024 - 09:01 UTC

 

 

For Uruguay “there is not blockade of Malvinas by any country of the continent”

Friday, March 30th 2012 - 07:54 UTC
Full article 82 comments
Please Mr. Almagro: no mixing of the Malvinas and Cuban blockades      Please Mr. Almagro: no mixing of the Malvinas and Cuban blockades

Uruguay reiterated its full and traditional support for Argentina’s sovereignty claims over the Falklands/Malvinas Islands, but at the same time underlined that “there is no blockade to the inhabitants of the Malvinas Islands by any country of the continent”, and clearly differentiated the Cuban and Malvinas blockades.

The official five-point communiqué was made public late Wednesday following earlier statements from Foreign minister Luis Almagro who said Uruguay does not oppose trade with the Falklands, nor does it support any form of commercial or economic blockade of the Islands.

But then Almagro established a certain parallelism between blockades to the Falklands and to Cuba.

“Supporting any form of blockade would be a violation of the Malvinas inhabitants’ human rights and the same as we say regarding Cuba, we repeat in this case” said Almagro.

But point 4 of the release kind of mends the Minister’s statement when it states that “Uruguay’s opposition to any form of blockade is integral part of Uruguay’s foreign policy, and as such an example of this has been the traditional stance with respect to the blockade of Cuba”.

Likewise point 5 underlines that “in no case is it remotely acceptable the comparison made by the media, since as has been indicated afore, there is no blockade of the inhabitants of the Malvinas Islands, as does effectively exist a blockade which violates international law regarding Cuba”.

The three first points of the release which clarify Almagro’s words state 1), that Uruguay reiterates its traditional position of support for Argentina’s sovereignty claims over the Malvinas, convinced that peaceful negotiations are the only possible way to settle the dispute between Argentina and the UK.

Point 2), “there’s no blockade of the Malvinas Islands inhabitants by any country of the continent”, which is an obvious reference not to involve Argentina.

And in Point 3), “as was indicated in the Presidential Office communiqué, 20 December 2011, Uruguay will be no part of any maritime or economic blockade of the Islas Malvinas inhabitants because it would be in violation of their human rights”.

Political sources in Montevideo said that following Almagro’s statement which allegedly put Malvinas and Cuba at similar level, the Argentines and later the Cubans quietly but strongly expressed their disappointment on the incident.
 

Top Comments

Disclaimer & comment rules
  • BritishguyfromLondon

    'There is no blockade”... hmmm... charter flights to the islands banned, ships need Argentine permit to go there, ships flying the Falklands flag banned, threat to ban LAN flight... they might be failing miserably to have any effect but KFC is definitely trying to establish an economic blockade to pressure the islanders. Despicable bullying of a small island community if you ask me...

    Mar 30th, 2012 - 08:57 am 0
  • Troneas

    this is all fine..

    but since when is it a *right* that people from one country trade with another? Even if the *other* country has no interest in doing so?

    it might violate international trade treaties if both parties are signatories but human RIGHTS?

    I've always operated under the assumption that to trade, both parties (or countries in this instance) need to be willing but under no obligation to do so unless they participate in an international organization that sets common rules.

    So lets review the full list of *human rights* abuses of the 2000 poor native islanders by evil Argentina:

    - The sovereignty of the territory they occupy is and has been in dispute for centuries but this stresses the hell out of these hapless beings and its clearly an abuse of their human rights to insist on a matter that causes them so much anxiety in view of their preference to ignore the matter.

    -As a result of the islanders choice to conveniently ignore how they got to the islands in the first place, where they are, and to which country they belonged when they got there Argentina decides not to recognize their made-up flag and turn away their trade vessels from Argentine ports. Shameless attack to their *human right* to trade with anyone THEY wish! Any country that is not buying their sheep or fish - at the price the islanders decide right - ought to be denounced immediately! Poor things...

    Anyone want to add more to the list on how these peoples *human rights* are being repeatedly abused by Argentina?

    Mar 30th, 2012 - 08:58 am 0
  • Martin Woodhead

    Er argentina spent the 19th centuary expanding by killing the orginal inhabitants while the falklanders got on without killing anyone.

    Mar 30th, 2012 - 09:10 am 0
Read all comments

Commenting for this story is now closed.
If you have a Facebook account, become a fan and comment on our Facebook Page!