MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands, antipersonnel mines and sea patrols

The brief but rather neutral reference to the “Islas Malvinas” in Mr. Nestor Kirchner's opening address to the incoming Legislature of the Argentine Congress, (four lines out of 24 pages), is understandable because the government is facing other crucial developments such as the current struggle with the IMF and international creditors, reported reliable political sources in Buenos Aires.

However in other chapters of his speech Mr. Kirchner revealed news of interest for the Islanders related to defence issues. Argentina will be contracting the building in local shipyards, of five new high seas multi purpose patrol vessels demanding a total investment of 120 million US dollars.

The vessels will be used for patrolling, submarine rescue, Antarctic campaign support, surface rescue, fire fighting in high seas and will be equipped with state of the art technology plus locally developed technology.

Apparently Argentina is developing with local technology the prototype of a mono-pulse secondary radar of which it will build 20, plus refurbishing its existent radar network and purchasing three of the latest 3D radar models.

Argentina also contracted US defence supplier Lockheed Martin for the maintenance of the air fleet and the development of the "Pampa", a jet training aircraft thus setting the foundations for the development of an "air industry technological" pole.

Mr. Kirchner mentioned that last December the Argentine Armed Forces completed the destruction of all antipersonnel mine stocks.