MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

British Foreign Office Official call for “A cooperative spirit with Argentina”.

Argentina has a part to play in the future development of the Falklands, according to British Foreign Office Deputy Under-Secretary Graham Fry.

Mr. Fry who has responsibility for ?a wide range of issues at senior level', within the Foreign Office, said during an official visit to the Falklands, ?If what we want is the development of the Falkland Islands, then we must make sure that we can find practical solutions to any problems that arise, so in order to do that, we need a cooperative spirit of some sort with Argentina, so that we can find ways to deal with the problems which may arise'.

He reiterated the recent words of British Defense Secretary Geoffrey Hoon, by saying that, ?Argentina has at the moment its own problems but as far as own bilateral relationship is concerned there is quite a lot we can do with them. I think what we must try to do in the Falklands context is to try and work out solutions to problems'.

Mr. Fry responsibilities include, ?most of Britain's relationships outside Europe, including the Overseas Territories'. He told a press conference in Stanley that he was impressed with the ?Falklands sense of growth and positive spirit which exists (in the Islands). He added, ?Our role is try and help that as far as we can'. However he warned the Falklands population not to, ?Expect dramatic changes as a result of my being here'.

In areas of future cooperation with Argentina he talked in particular about, ?Fisheries arrangements and Lan Chile flights, where there is an Argentinean dimension which is extremely important to the future of the Falklands'. Asked if Argentina would have some role to play in a second weekly Lan Chile flight between Santiago and the Falklands. Mr. Fry refused to be drawn into revealing any sensitive details, saying, ?I am not sure we have reached that stage yet?it is still at a more exploratory stage'. However he recalled that the current Saturday schedule requires the aircraft to ?fly over Argentine air space', en-route to the Falklands from Punta Arenas in Chile.

Asked if he detected any significance changes in the attitude of the Government of President Duhalde, the British Deputy Under-Secretary said, ?They are talking the same language as previous Governments, there is no great change in what they are saying despite the great changes in Government'.

Mr. Fry was asked if he thought that it