The Argentine government announced it downgraded the Malvinas Islands department at the Foreign ministry, but minister Susana Malcorra insisted that the sovereignty claim over the South Atlantic Islands remains as strong as ever and will advance in different forms, probably more subtle, and with Gibraltar as a reference.
Argentine president Mauricio Macri is scheduled to receive in a week's time the European Union head of foreign affairs, Federica Mogherini who is expected to announce that all is ready to begin, next April, formal negotiations for the long-delayed trade and cooperation agreement between Mercosur and the EU.
It was a 'good, enriching' meeting, a private conversation between the Holy Father and the president which covered all the areas we expected to cover, was how the Argentine foreign minister described Saturday's 22 minutes meeting between Francis and visiting President Mauricio Macri.
The long-awaited meeting between Argentine President Mauricio Macri and Pope Francis ended up being a frosty encounter that lasted a mere 22 minutes. The Vatican officially described the sit-down as “cordial,” and Macri told reporters that the pontiff asked him to fight corruption, poverty and drug-trafficking in the country.
Argentine President Mauricio Macri flew after midday to Rome ahead of Saturday’s meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican. Macri flew in an Alitalia commercial flight accompanied by his wife Juliana Awada, their small daughter Antonia and a small delegation of close aides and three provincial governors specially invited for the occasion.
The visit of French president Francois Hollande was described as most positive and this was reflected in the over twenty bilateral agreements signed in all fields, plus a very significant 'personal link' with his Argentine peer Mauricio Macri, said Susana Malcorra, foreign minister on Wednesday at the Casa Rosada.
Foreign minister Susana Malcorra said that analyzing the different scenarios in the UK regarding the Falklands/Malvinas sovereignty dispute, there is a horizon of possibility for Argentina to have a dialogue on the issue.
The Argentine government expressed its 'concern' to the UK over Defense minister Michael Fallon's visit to the Falkland Islands where he spent time with the military at MPA and met with Falklands elected government authorities and members of the community, according to media reports in Buenos Aires.
Buenos Aires daily La Nacion dedicated its main Friday editorial to the Falklands/Malvinas dispute, (A change in the policy towards Malvinas), underlining the new Argentine government's position promoting bilateral relations on all issues with the UK, but never forgetting the 'deep difference' over the Islands.
Argentina and Uruguay foreign ministers agreed to hold twice a year meetings to address all issues in the bilateral agenda but with emphasis on integration and Mercosur which are 'our main concerns'. Susana Malcorra met with her peer Rodolfo Nin Novoa in Montevideo on Friday and after a several hours meeting made brief statements with no questions taken from journalists.