MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina tells Malvinas' Families and Veterans that identification process in Darwin cemetery is “strictly humanitarian”

The humanitarian identification process is headed by the Red Cross following on what was agreed in London last December

Argentine foreign ministry officials reiterated to representatives from the Malvinas Fallen Relatives Commission and the Confederation of Malvinas Combatants that the initiative to identify Argentine unknown soldiers buried in the Darwin cemetery in the Falklands, is strictly humanitarian.

 The hour-long meeting took place on Thursday at the Argentine ministry of foreign affairs, behind closed doors, and according to an official release all questions and concerns were addressed by the officials, underlining that the humanitarian process will be headed by the Red Cross International Committee, based on the documents agreed in London, last December, between Argentina, United Kingdom and the Red Cross.

Likewise both the initiative and the activities to be displayed are under the sovereignty safeguard formula established in the 1989 Madrid accords.

The release states that the Argentine government considers the soldiers fallen in Malvinas as war heroes and their remains will not be transferred to the continent, unless it is the will of the family directed involved, and once the whole process is over.

Furthermore all field work will be exclusively undertaken by a team of forensic experts appointed by the Red Cross, of which two will be Argentine.

Finally the Argentine government is committed to transmit to all those involved in this process the concerns expressed by the Malvinas Families and Veterans, and reiterates the foreign ministry will always be open to dialogue.