Jorge Lanata is one of Argentina’s most famous and fierce journalists, feared by politicians and union leaders, famous for uncovering corruption and confronting the sacred cows of the country’s establishment. This week he made some controversial comments about the Malvinas Islands which rocked the whole country.
Argentina has no more claim to the Falklands than Canada does to Alaska Giving the Falkland Islands to Argentina makes as much sense as giving Alaska to Canada: none whatsoever, says George Grant.
The US Acting Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Roberta Jacobson, ratified the Obama administration’s standing on the Falklands/Malvinas sovereignty issue, which urges Argentina and the United Kingdom to find a diplomatic exit to the matter.
The night of “show-biz” glitz, light-shows, orchestrated crowds and even musical allusions, that surrounded Tuesday night’s announcement on the Falklands by Argentine President Cristina Fernandez from the Casa Rosada has left Falkland Islanders on the streets of Stanley feeling slightly bemused at the scenes, considered by many to be more reminiscent of the half-time entertainment at a Super-Bowl than a political debate.
There was considerable anticipation and speculation in the Falkland Islands on Tuesday as residents and visitors alike waited to hear Argentine president Cristina Kirchner’s much-publicized evening announcement.
Lawmaker Ivan Moreira from the ruling coalition junior partner UDI said that Chile should not get involved in the Falklands/Malvinas issue which has to be addressed between Argentina and the UK, and recalled that Chile has its own problem with the coming International Court of Justice dispute with neighbouring Peru.
Members of the Falklands Islands Legislative Assembly, Sharon Halford and Roger Edwards, have visited Grenada in the Caribbean to discuss the Falkland Islands right to self-determination with government ministers and senior officials.
A consortium of companies appears to be spending a large day-rate on an Ocean Rig unit which has been fixed for a firm three years off Norway. The semi-submersible Leiv Eiriksson, currently operating in Falklands waters has been wrapped up for a 15-well program over a minimum of 1070 days on the Norwegian Continental Shelf, Greek rig owner Ocean Rig said on Monday.
The following piece was published by The Independent, an interview of the Falkland Islands Governor Nigel Haywood by Falklands-born writer, journalist and expert in Latin American and defense affairs, Graham Bound.
The Falklands don’t need anything from any country, not even England, said Dick Sawle elected member of the Falklands Legislative Assembly, although admitting that the Islands do rely on the UK for protection.