MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

First Argentine aircraft since 1982 to land in Stanley

The Falklands Government has given permission for an Argentine national, 49 year old Martin Rappalini, to land a twin-engined Piper Aerostar aircraft at Port Stanley airport ? the first Argentine registered aircraft to land in Stanley since hostilities ended in 1982.

While Falklands authorities have given the go ahead for Mr Rappalini, who was born in Comodoro Rivadavia and still works there in the oil industry, to land his aircraft in Stanley on Wednesday, Argentine Government authorities have amazingly refused him permission to fly directly to the Islands from Comodoro Rivadavia. They have insisted that he must first fly to Chile before continuing his journey to the Falklands, and accordingly he was forced to fly to Punta Arenas from where he is expected to take off for the Falklands on Wednesday morning. The flight to Stanley will take around 3 hours.

The Piper Aerostar aircraft can carry up to 10 passengers but Mr Rappalini will be accompanied only by his 2 daughters, 22 year old Maria Elena, who is a student pilot in her 4th year of studies, and 20 year Maria Paula who is studying chemical engineering. They will stay in the Islands for 2 days and take in various tourists sites, and are expected to view King Penguins.

Falklands Councillors approved the request for the flight from Mr Rappalini, several months ago, and confirmed their decision on Tuesday. However as Councillor Mike Summers pointed out ? their approval ?was based on the visit being for tourism purposes only and not for business matters'.

Asked about the decision by Argentine authorities not to allow the flight to take place directly between Argentina and the Islands, Councillor Summers described it as ?bizarre ? I can't think why they are doing this and what they expect to gain from this action'. He pointed out that, ?the present Argentine Government has a negative approach to the Falkland Islands and will not recognize the Falkland Islands Administration, but to prevent Mr. Rappalini from flying directly to the Islands from Comodoro seems very strange. They will not gain the respect of people here'. Councillor Summers recalled too that Buenos Aires recently gave their approval for the weekly Lan Chile flights between Santiago and the Falklands ? with a once a month stopover in Rio Gallegos - to be recognized as a scheduled service, so avoiding delays. ?Given this positive approach I cannot understand their reasoning in preventing Mr. Rappalini from flying directly to the Islands', said th