By David Usborne - The following piece published by The Independent reveals the contents of a letter delivered by the British ambassador to the UN, Sir Mark Lyall Grant to UN Secretary General Ban-ki Moon rebutting Argentine historic arguments on which Buenos Aires supports its sovereignty claim over the Falkland Islands.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague and Argentine president Cristina Fernandez are expected to visit Chile in the near future as pressure mounts on the conservative government of President Sebastian Piñera because of the ongoing UK/Argentina diplomatic dispute over the Faklands/Malvinas issue.
“Chile’s support to Argentina’s claim over the Malvinas Islands is a state policy for our country” said Chilean Executive secretary Andres Chadwick, but it does not mean any impediment to that “very special relation we have with the UK”.
Several Caribbean states and Nicaragua announced this weakened they will bar from their ports any vessel flying the Malvinas flag, according to a release from the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Argentine Defence minister Arturo Puricelli described UK’s announcement to send state of the art and latest incorporation to the Royal Navy HMS Dauntless, and according to the London press a nuclear powered submersible, to the disputed Falklands/Malvinas Islands as “an unnecessary ostentation of fire power”
Flt Lt Wales has commenced his duties as an RAF Search and Rescue (SAR) helicopter pilot in the Falkland Islands providing Search and Rescue cover for both the civilian and military population.
British Prime Minister David Cameron and US President Barack Obama will meet in Washington next month, three weeks before the 30 anniversary of the beginning of the Falklands conflict.
UK’s Defence Minister Philip Hammond reiterated Friday that the deployment of Prince Williams to the Falkland Islands is a routine mission planned long ago, and rejected suggestions the decision to send the heir to the throne to the region represented an escalation of the UK's position.
Britain warned Argentina against cutting off an air link to the Falklands as part of an economic blockade of the Islands, reports the Evening Standard. Buenos Aires is threatening to stop a weekly flight from Punta Arenas in Chile to Port Stanley by refusing permission for it to use Argentine airspace.
The UK is taking advantage of the diplomatic conflict escalade with Argentina over the Falkland Islands sovereignty dispute to distract public opinion from serious domestic problems such as unemployment, said Argentine Vice-president Amado Boudou.