MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Punta Arenas-Falklands links underlined by British Ambassador.

British Ambassador in Chile Richard Wilkinson underlined in Punta Arenas the importance of trade and communications links between the Patagonian Chilean city and Falklands, and confirmed talks for a second weekly flight to the Islands.

Ambassador Wilkinson was specially invited by local authorities to the commemorations in honour of an Irish born British doctor Thomas Fenton who was the first ever to practice medicine in Punta Arenas. Dr. Fenton who arrived in Punta Arenas in the late 1870 at the age of 25 spent the rest of his life in the city working for the community. A medical clinic in Punta Arenas is named after Dr. Fenton.

Speaking fluent Spanish Ambassador Wilkinson said that a second flight to the Falklands is needed because at the moment "you're forced to remain for a whole week in the Islands, from Saturday to Saturday".

This is a serious problem for many people wishing to travel to the Islands however Ambassador Wilkinson also cautioned "it's also a profit and aircraft availability matter, but a second weekly flight is under consideration", an issue that will have to be negotiated by Britain with Chile and Argentina.

Ambassador Wilkinson took his post in Santiago last September and this was his first official trip to another Chilean city. However Mr. Wilkinson admitted he had been before in Punta Arenas as a junior official of the Foreign Office on his way to the Falklands.

"For the moment I don't have in mind a trip to the Falklands, as Ambassador in Chile I don't have a motive and it's not my responsibility; maybe in the future for pleasure".

Ambassador Wilkinson described himself as "a very lucky man for having been posted to Chile", given the excellent understanding between London and Santiago that includes trade, political and military relations, more specifically "the recent acquisition by the Chilean Navy of the former Royal Navy frigate "Sheffield", that will now be operating under the name of "Admiral Williams".

Ambassador Wilkinson was also asked about the current proposal of turning Punta Arenas into a bilingual city.

"It's not a bad idea, but many tourists come in groups with their own translator. What is more important is to prepare people that really know how to work and operate in the tourist industry. Making the city bilingual sounds excessive", said the British official who emphasized that in "my country there's a growing interest to come to this part of the world".

After visiting the Dr. Fenton primary health clinic Ambassador Wilkinson congratulated Punta Arenas officials for the working conditions and installations in the clinic.