MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Annual Anglo-Argentine talks on “key international issues”
Argentina and the United Kingdom have agreed to hold annual talks at what they call “senior level” on key international where they have a mutual interest.
The decision was made at talks in London between British Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, and the Argentine Foreign Minister, Carlos Ruckhauf, on his official visit to Britain.
This appears to have been the main result of their meeting in which the two Foreign Ministers discussed a number of international issues, including the war on terrorism. A press release after the talks, on Monday 4th November, said both Foreign Ministers acknowledged what they called "excellent relations" between the two countries. British foreign office officials were unable to say whether the issue of Argentina's claim to Falkland Islands' sovereignty was raised. In any case, Britain's response is always that it is "non-negotiable", despite what Argentina sees as encouragement from the softening British stance on Spain's claim to Gibraltar. It is usual for the Falkland dispute to be kept firmly under the diplomatic "umbrella" mutually decided upon years ago, enabling both governments to retain their incompatible stance so that it is not an obstacle to discussing other issues. Any Argentine desire to discuss the Falklands sovereignty issue would be rebuffed by Britain as ill-timed, coinciding with the mass 20th anniversary pilgrimage of British war veterans of the South Atlantic Medal Association to the Falklands Islands (from November 7th to 12th), joined by former Royal Navy helicopter pilot the Duke of York, on his visit which also takes in Uruguay and Chile.
UK support in Argentine IMF negotiations At the London talks, Mr Straw expressed support for Argentina in seeking a solution to its chronic economic crisis and said he hoped there would be a successful outcome to Argentina's negotiations with the International Monetary. These have so far failed to produce any new IMF aid since Argentina was plunged into political and economic chaos nearly a year ago, causing it to replace its President, renege on its international debts and to devalue its currency. Mr Ruckhauf was the guest of the British Government at a lunch attended by the newly appointed Minister for Latin American and Falklands issues, Bill Rammell, who also took part with Mr Straw in the discussions. The annual talks which the two countries will hold will be between either ministers or senior officials of the two Foreign Ministries. These talks, the press statement said, will "focus on key topics on the international agenda where the United Kingdom and Argentina share mutual interests". This is presumed to exclude the Falklands issue. Before the 1982 invasion Anglo-Argentine talks on New York agreed to hold regular future discussions on the Falklands, a decision promptly repudiated by the Galtieri junta which abandoned diplomatic contacts and resorted to military action. Carlos Ruckhauf is little known in the United Kingdom despite his criticism of Prince Charles during his 1999 visit to Argentina for supporting the Falkland Islanders' right to self-determination. Mr Ruckhauf, then President Menem's Vice-President, criticised what he called Prince Charles's "intolerable attitude" and voiced his view that the Islanders have no right to self-determination, a view that carries no validity on with the host country on his current visit.
Demonstration against Argentine Minister A group of young Argentines staged a demonstration in London against the Argentine Foreign Minister, Carlos Ruckhauf, alleging his implication in disappearances and presumed murders during the government of President Isabel Peron in 1975, before General Videla's military coup. About a dozen demonstrators were gathered in the street when Mr Ruckhauf arrived to give a lecture (on Monday, 4th November) outlining the way ahead for the Argentine economy at Canning House, in Belgrave Square, headquarters of the Hispanic and Luso Brazilian Council which stimulates understanding between Britain, Latin America, Spain and Portugal. One of the demonstrators, a young woman, burst into the meeting and distributed leaflets, accusing Mr Ruckhauf of signing a decree as Isabel Peron's Minister of Works, ordering the armed forces to annihilate subversive elements. Relatives of 14 workers at a car factory in Buenos Aires who disappeared are taking action against him in the courts in Argentina in La Plata. The young demonstrator was escorted peacefully out of the room, and Mr Ruckhauf went ahead with his lecture, which was attended by staff of the Argentine Embassy and influential figures in the political, diplomatic and economic world, including the British Ambassador to Argentina, Sir Robin Christopher, senior officials of the British Foreign Office, and the President of Canning House, Lord Tristan Garel-Jones, a former Foreign Office Minister of State from 1990 to 1993 in Margaret Thatcher's Government.
Visit focuses on economic issues Questions afterwards concentrated on Argentina's economic crisis, but he was asked whether the talks between the United Kingdom and Spain on the future of Gibraltar could be a precedent for Argentina in its claim to sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. He indicated he did not wish to discuss issues on which there was disagreement, but said there would have to be talks some time in the future on this issue. Mr Ruckhauf's visit is focused on economic issues in a programme which includes discussions with the Argentine-British Chamber of Commerce, and with the Governor of the Bank of England. Canning House was founded in 1943 and its membership includes cultural, educational and business representatives.
Harold Briley (MP) London
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