MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Bielsa: seduction means seriousness and predictability.

Reclaiming full sovereignty over the Malvinas/Falklands “is a non waivable objective of the Argentine people and a continuous State policy for the new government”, emphasized Argentine Foreign Affairs Secretary Rafael Bielsa before the United Nations Decolonization Committee unveiling President Nestor Kirchner policy regarding the South Atlantic dispute with the United Kingdom.

Mr. Bielsa also pointed out that the Falklands/Malvinas sovereignty dispute is a bilateral issue, to be resolved by the two governments that were a party to the dispute, stressing Argentina's territorial integrity stance and the non applicability of the self determination clause for the inhabitants of the Islands given its colonial condition.

Although Mr. Bielsa managed the usual consensus support from the C 24 in a resolution, --sponsored by Chile, Bolivia, Cuba and Venezuela--, calling Argentina and Britain to resume sovereignty negotiations to solve the dispute, Mr. Bielsa not only was friendly towards the Falklands Councillors petitioners during the meeting, but later with the press admitted that Argentina must be seen as a serious country, "predictable, reliable, reasonable, methodical in its claims", if chances of a definitive solution to the claim are to be achievable.

"If we are an erratic, showy, non predictable, non reliable country, it will complicate the issue", said Mr. Bielsa implying that even seduction means seriousness.

"To seduce you must be a seducer, you don't need to send post cards, share tea or distribute teddy bears. Argentina will be seducing is she's a serious, reliable country"

Following the meeting Mr. Bielsa shook hands and briefly spoke with Falkland Islands government representatives elected Councillors Mike Summers and John Birmingham. "It's important to explore those things we can jointly address while the main issue is being discussed", indicated Mr. Bielsa to the Argentine press when asked about the friendly chat and the Councillors good wishes.

"Best of luck in all but one issue"

"We wish you the best of luck in all but in one issue", the Councillors told Mr. Bielsa.

"I believe this is the best way to advance, I don't share any impolite attitude", forecasting that he didn't believe the Falklands issue would be addressed during the coming meeting of President Kirchner with Primer Minister Tony Blair for a Third Way forum in London.

"I don't think it would not be polite to include Falklands in the agenda with Mr. Blair, but given President Kirchner's extraction and personal feelings, and the fact that it's so close to our hearts, this could make the agenda easier".

In his speech Mr. Bielsa recalled that since 1965 the UN General Assembly, in 10 resolutions, had recognized the existence of the sovereignty dispute over the Malvinas Islands, and demanded respect for the territorial integrity of Argentina, including the recognition of the interests of the inhabitants of the islands. Mr. Bielsa said the recovery of the full exercise of sovereignty, respecting the way of life of the inhabitants of the islands and in accordance with international law, was a mandate set forth in Argentina's Constitution. The Minister also recalled that in his inaugural address, President Nestor Kirchner had stressed that he comes from the south of Argentina, which was imbued with the Malvinas culture.

From the beginning of its independent life in 1810, Argentina had expressed its willingness to exercise its effective sovereignty over the archipelagos and maritime areas of the South Atlantic inherited from Spain. However on January 1833, British forces had occupied the Malvinas Islands, ousting the Argentine population and authorities established there. "Some 170 years after the British military occupation of the archipelagos, the parties to the dispute must commit themselves to the resumption of the negotiations".

The 1982 confrontation is not an acceptable excuse

"It's not acceptable that the United Kingdom should use as an excuse the confrontation between Britain and a former Argentine military government to distance itself from negotiations on the Islands sovereignty which were consented and practiced between 1966 and 1982, ignoring UN General Assemblies resolutions", stressed the Argentine minister.

Argentina's willingness to peacefully solve the sovereignty dispute, as set forth by Assembly resolutions, had not been met by a corresponding willingness from the United Kingdom, he said. In a joint statement in 1989, Argentina and the United Kingdom had agreed to normalize their bilateral relations and to apply a sovereignty formula by which both countries safeguarded their positions in the sovereignty dispute over the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands.

"While some of the understandings under the formula on sovereignty reached between Argentina and the United Kingdom on practical matters had proved useful, the understandings were not a substitute for a definitive solution of the sovereignty dispute. Argentina would continue to protest British unilateral acts in the disputed area", added Mr. Bielsa.

A solution could only be achieved by resumed negotiations between Argentina and the United Kingdom. Reaffirming Argentina's willingness to contribute towards that goal Mr. Bielsa said the sovereignty dispute over the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime areas could only be resolved by the two Governments that were a party to it. Following on this Mr. Bielsa called upon the United Kingdom to positively respond to Argentina's willingness to negotiate, thus, acting in compliance with those resolutions.