MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Rammell: “no sovereignty negotiations”

“We're committed to the Falkland Islands self determination and we're not going to negotiate sovereignty, unless the Islanders wish us to”, remarked Foreign Office Parliamentary Under Secretary for Latin America, Caribbean and Overseas Territories Bill Rammell to the Spanish newspaper El País.

During a short visit to Madrid to address joint overseas cooperation matters with Spain and interviewed about Argentina's presentation before the United Nations Decolonization Committee, Mr. Rammell said that the United Kingdom position regarding the Falklands is clear and well known, "anyhow we will continue with cooperation, in line with advances achieved in recent years in areas such as fisheries and communications".

Further on Mr. Rammell pointed out that the new Argentine administration stance regarding the Falklands won't affect relations between Britain and Argentina.

"Our position is very clear and well known. I also believe it is well understood by the Argentine government. We are now anxiously waiting to work with President Kirchner and the new government, with whom relations are very good. We are sure it will be possible to keep working together".

Meantime in Buenos Aires the Argentine press advanced names for some of the main embassies including a former close aide of Guido Di Tella, Mr. Fernando Petrella as the next Ambassador in London.

Mr. Petrella was Under Secretary of Foreign Policy during the previous Duhalde administration and is currently working for the Cabinet Chief of the Foreign Affairs Ministry. He's considered an expert in the Falklands.

A former governor of the province of Mendoza, José Octavio Bordón will take the post in Washington, and a close advisor of President Kirchner, Juan Pablo Lohé is the next ambassador in Brazil.

Carlos Enrique Abihaggle has been nominated in Santiago de Chile and apparently Hernán Patiño Meyer has been confirmed in his current post in Montevideo.

Two close aides of former president Eduardo Duhalde will remain in their ambassadorial jobs: Rodolfo Gil in the Organization of American States and Jorge Remes Lenicov in Brussels before the European Union.