British Foreign Secretary William Hague said he was “very concerned” at President Cristina Fernández announcement to expropriate YPF, a decision he believes “goes against all the commitments Argentina has made in the G20 to promote transparency and reduce protectionism.”
A preparatory meeting for a Ministers of Defence of the Americas Conference to be held in the second half of the year concluded in Montevideo with no inclusion of the Malvinas Islands dispute in the final declaration because of lack of agreement among the participants.
Argentina and Brazil agreed to work on a common defence agenda underlining the importance of strengthening Unasur and working to ensure that Latin America is a peace zone thus sending a strong message to the UK on the Falklands/Malvinas issue.
Bolivian president Evo Morales clearly took distance from Argentina’s expropriation of YPF, the Argentine affiliate of Spain’s Repsol which was announced on Monday and caused a major rift between Argentina and Spain and the European Commission.
Malvinas conflict next-of-kin commission sent a letter to the International Red Cross expressing their position regarding the request from President Cristina Fernandez for that organization to help with the identification of soldiers’ remains buried in the Falkland Islands Argentine cemetery.
The European Commission called off a meeting with officials in Argentina after President Cristina Fernández revealed plans to expropriate 51% of YPF from its mother corporation Spain’s Repsol.
Mexican president Felipe Calderón and G-20 group head, said that Argentina’s plan to seize a majority stake in Repsol’s Argentine branch YPF is “very regrettable” and called on President Cristina Fernandez to reconsider and rectify the decision.
Argentine president Cristina Fernandez received late Monday the first international support for her announced takeover of YPF from the Spanish corporation Repsol: the Venezuelan government and President Hugo Chavez, revealed the Foreign Affairs ministry.
The Chilean government reacted with concern at the announcement by Argentina of a bill to expropriate 51% of the oil company YPF from Spain’s Repsol, since this will have a direct impact for Chile, said on Monday evening the Executive Secretary General Andres Chadwick.
The European Community strongly supported Spain and oil corporation Repsol saying that the expropriation by Argentina of YPF is “a very negative signal” for investors and could seriously damage the business climate of the country.