MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

C24 requests resumption of Falklands' negotiations

The United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization meeting in New York Monday June 16 regretted that, in spite of the widespread international support for a negotiation between the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom that includes all aspects on the future of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas), the implementation of the General Assembly resolutions on that question has not yet started.

Adopting the resolution on the question of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) by consensus, the Committee also requested both Argentina and the United Kingdom to consolidate the current process of dialogue and cooperation through the resumption of negotiations to find as soon as possible a peaceful solution to the sovereignty dispute.

The Committee's action followed a discussion involving over 25 speakers, including the new Argentine Foreign Affairs Minister, Mr. Rafael Bielsa, as well as petitioners from the Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Councillors Mike Summers and John Birmingham.

Rafael Bielsa, Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and Worship of Argentina, said that his country's willingness to peacefully solve the sovereignty dispute had not been met by a corresponding willingness from the United Kingdom. In a joint statement in 1989, Argentina and the United Kingdom had agreed to normalize bilateral relations and to apply a formula for sovereignty 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, Mr. Bielsa noted that the understandings were not a substitute for a definitive solution of the sovereignty dispute. A solution could only be achieved by resumed negotiations between Argentina and the United Kingdom.

However Falkland Islands Legislative Councillor said that the Argentine claim to the Falklands was baseless, because it relied solely on the dubious bases of history and territorial integrity. "The so-called occupation of the Falklands probably never happened, and, if it did, was very short lived. Self-determination for the people of the Falkland Islands must be the guiding principle for the United Kingdom, Argentina and the Committee. The people of the Falkland Islands did not wish to change from British administration to an Argentine administration". With a new Government in Argentina, he added, there was an opportunity for Argentina to demonstrate a new political maturity on the world stage. In the future, no resolution on the Falkland Islands should be brought which did not note the right to self-determination of all peoples.

At no time, stated Uruguay's representative Mr. Felipe Paolillo did Argentina challenge the right of the people of the Malvinas to freely determine their political status and pursue their economic, social and cultural development. Argentina had always said it would respect the way of life of the inhabitants of the Malvinas. Those inhabitants could choose to live under either Argentine or British sovereignty. But they could not choose to be British subjects while living on Argentine territory. Introducing the resolution, Chile's representative Mr. Heraldo Muñoz acknowledged that the question was a special one different from other colonial cases, due to the sovereignty dispute between two States. It stated that the only way to put an end to the dispute was through a negotiated solution between the two parties, who were called on to resume dialogue and negotiations on the issue. He supported Argentina's sovereignty rights and reiterated that the only way forward was through bilateral negotiations. There were no reasons to continue postponing a solution to the Malvinas question.

Statements were also made this morning by the representatives of Peru (on behalf of the Rio Group), Paraguay (on behalf of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR)), Brazil, China, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Indonesia, Cuba, CÃÂÂ'te d'Ivoire, Syria, Tunisia, Russian Federation, Bolivia, Republic of Congo, Ethiopia, United Republic of Tanzania, Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada and Papua New Guinea.

Other petitioners addressing the Committee were Falklands Councillor John Birmingham, and former Islanders living in Argentina James Douglas Lewis and Alejandro Betts. The Committee, formally known as the Special Committee on the Situation with regard to the Implementation of the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples, is commonly referred to as the "Special Committee of 24". (United Nations sources).-