MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“Malvinas, a pending issue”

“Malvinas are a permanent symbol for Argentina”, and a “pending issue for this administration”, said on Saturday May 1 Argentine Defence Minister Jose Pampuro during the 22nd anniversary of Argentina's Air Force “baptism of fire” in the South Atlantic conflict.

However Minister Pampuro pointed out that President Nestor Kirchner's administration will continue to "struggle peacefully" for Malvinas sovereignty appealing to international organizations such as United Nations.

"Malvinas are a permanent symbol for Argentina and that is why for this administration it figures in the agenda as a pending issue, even more for President Kirchner given his deep rooted link to the Malvinas gest", stressed Mr. Pampuro.

Praising the Argentine pilots killed in action the Defence Minister said "it' important for the Argentine people to honour the heroes of Malvinas; the Argentine Air Force confronted one of the main air-naval powers in history, and their performance was not a matter of luck or chance but of professionalism".

Mr. Pampuro further on admitted that talks with the United Kingdom for direct flights to the Islands from Argentina are currently "stagnant" but was optimistic that in the coming months the matter could become "untied".

"It's an issue the Chancery is working on, and I don't discard progress in the negotiations in the near future", said the Defence Minister.

The ceremony was held in the seat of the Second Air Brigade in Paraná with the presence besides the Defence Minister, of Entre Ríos governor Jorge Busti, the Commander of the Air Force Brigadier Carlos Rodhe, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Jorge Chevalier and other top officers, many of them Malvinas veterans.

In an official release the Argentine Air Force recalls that on May first, 1982 the "Air Battle of Malvinas" began, the first time ever the service was involved in fighting and at the end of that day a total of 57 sorties had been accomplished in cover and attack missions against British naval targets.

Apparently on that day the British Task Force attempted a first landing of troops that was repelled by the decisive action of the Argentine Air Force.

The ceremony was held in Paraná because this was the home base for the Canberra MK-62 bombers and the Lear Jet 35 A units responsible for air photographs and on occasions guided some of the sorties into battle.