Argentine Foreign minister Hector Timerman said that relations with Uruguay are going through “a good moment”, contrary to recent statements from Uruguayan Vice-president Danilo Astori, and described as ‘false’ the information that two Falklands’ flagged fishing vessels had called into Uruguayan ports.
President Jose Mujica confirmed that the project for the construction of a liquid gas re-gasification plant in the River Plate coast, originally planned with Argentina, “will go ahead with of without the Argentine government”.
At least two Uruguayan lawmakers have confirmed to the British embassy in Montevideo that they will be travelling to the Falkland Islands next March for the referendum on the Islands political status and future. The trips are financed by the embassy and according to parliament sources in Montevideo the list could become longer.The news was published in a Montevideo weekly.
A Korean flagged trawler that caught fire in early morning Sunday has been tugged to the middle of the bay of Montevideo where a combined effort of Uruguayan Coast Guard, port authorities and fire fighters have controlled the flames after rescuing forty crewmembers, mostly Chinese, Vietnamese, Indonesian and Korean officers.
For consular purposes the Uruguayan Foreign Affairs ministry refers to the Malvinas Islands, which are claimed by Argentina with the support of Mercosur members, as the “dependent territory” of the “Islas Falklands”.
Uruguay has began works in the extension of a pier in the port of Montevideo to cater the cruise industry which should be ready for the next season 2012/13 when the country will also become a hub for the exchange of passengers.
The Brazilian navy polar research vessel “Almirante Maximiano” at the end of its XXXth Antarctic operation, Operantar, arrived on Thursday at Montevideo to take fuel, supplies and exchange experiences with Uruguayan officers.
Mercosur country members are scheduled to hold a meeting in Rio do Janeiro to agree on a common protocol for all vessels originating in the Falkland Islands and calling at regional ports, announced Uruguay’s Defence minister Eleuterio Fernandez Huidobro.
Uruguayan fire brigades finally managed Sunday afternoon to control and extinguish the fire that broke out in a Korean fishing vessel early Saturday morning which was fully loaded with fuel and ready to depart for Antarctica, reported the Uruguayan Navy PR department.
Uruguayan president Jose Mujica said that the presence of Prince William, heir to the British Crown, in the Malvinas Islands is a gesture “not at all nice” and called for the dispute with Argentina not to become military because it’s no good for anybody, least for the region.