MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
British Member of Parliament urges “Dialogue with Argentina”.
A Conservative Member of the British Parliament has urged the Falkland Islands Government to enter into a dialogue with the Argentine Government on, 'matters of mutual interest'.
57 year old Richard Ottaway, Conservative Member of Parliament for Croydon South in London, who has been visiting the Islands as a member of a Parliamentary delegation, said during a press conference that, 'dialogue is important and I encourage the Falkland Islands Government to engage in as much dialogue with Argentina as possible - it leads to peaceful relations'. He compared the Falklands/Argentine situation to that of Britain and Germany following the 2nd World War, and recalled that Germany was now an important member of the European Union - alongside Britain.
However Mr Ottway's comments did not meet with much approval from the Islanders. One Government official said that the Member of Parliament had, 'sadly failed to do his homework, and had obviously not really understood the crux of the matter - Argentina continues to threaten the Islanders with its sovereignty claim and twenty years after the War of 1982, still fails to recognize the Islanders right to self-determination. It's for Argentina to enter into a dialogue with the Islanders not the other way round'.
Mr. Ottaway also came in for criticism from other areas. One prominent local resident said, 'We could perhaps consider some cultural and sporting exchanges with Argentina and maybe the children of both Countries could visit each other sometime in the future, but not while the Buenos Aires Government, despite enjoying its own 20 years of democracy, fails to recognize our existence in the Islands'.
Another member of the Parliamentary delegation, Conservative Nigel Evans, Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, spoke enthusiastically of the progress which the Falklands has made over the past 20 years. He pinpointed the $US20 millions secondary school, and the recently refurbished US$7 millions Infant/Junior School which he said, 'provides a very high standard of education - the facilities are superb and the dedication of the teachers is remarkable'. Mr. Evans also highlighted the recently constructed abattoir which cost the Islands Government, US$6.5 millions. 'I'm sure that the products of the abattoir, such as Falklands lamb, mutton and beef will be a huge success when soon placed on sale in British supermarkets'.
Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for the northern British Orkney Islands, Alistair Campbell, noted the 4% annual economic growth and the 4% population growth within the Islands. 'I notice that there is no unemployment and that also 85% of the women have jobs - that is remarkable'.
All three M.P's. expressed their surprise with respect to the figures recently published, which indicates that 30,000 cruise vessel passengers are now visiting the Falklands annually, and a further 1,500 buy package tours to the Islands to visit wild-life locations. 'There is a great degree of optimism throughout the increasing population', said Mr. Campbell.
Patrick Watts (MP) Stanley.
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