MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Sir Christopher: “Without cooperation, there's no confidence”.

British Ambassador in Buenos Aires Sir Robin Christopher underlined that the Falkland Islands are an important part of UK-Argentina bilateral relations and given the latest events “we have lost confidence in the Argentine government”, because “without cooperation there's no confidence”.

In a long interview published in La Nacion's Sunday edition Ambassador Christopher who next October leaves for retirement in the United Kingdom cautioned that putting pressure on the Islanders will only worsen relations, because "if we want to progress, we have to cooperate. Cooperation means confidence".

When asked if last summer's Argentine decision to deny authorization for charter flights to the Islands, (conditioned to Islanders accepting direct charter flights from Argentina) was the problem, Ambassador Christopher replied it was the way the issue was handled.

"It was unimaginable that they decided it with out previously announcing it. It looked as a way of putting pressure, and that is not the way things are done. You need confidence to advance the relation. Now (specifically) on the issue there's a proposal from my government which in principle would have had no difficulties in considering the possibility of Argentine charter flights to the Islands, but during these last months much confidence has been lost".

Sir Christopher added that the UK (charter flights) proposal was "between both governments", a proposal based "on the market" with "the recommendation that there should be no exceptions".

Some weeks ago when attempts to solve the charter flights dispute began, the Argentine press reported that the British proposal was an "open skies" policy, but fearing Islanders would end vetoing Argentine airlines, the proposal was not considered acceptable by Foreign Affairs Minister Rafael Bielsa.

Sir Christopher added there "is no Argentine proposal" on the issue, but insisted that Britain is very much interested in more contacts between Islanders and Argentines and highlighted the importance of the July 99 agreement and the Argentine Memorial built in Darwin, which he considers one of the great achievements of his four years in Buenos Aires.

"The (1999) agreement was made precisely to facilitate private and personal contacts, be it by air or sea". The Memorial to the Argentines fallen in the 1982 conflict "has been a humanitarian project It's remarkable the climate in which it developed, a very constructive climate, which continues, among architects, next of kin and all participants in the task. What I would like to highlight of my time in Argentina, which has not ended yet, is that in spite of the economic crisis and all the difficulties we have accomplished this commitment".

So, "how precisely has confidence been lost?" questions again La Nacion's reporter.

"In the good will to collaborate and to cooperate. If the Islanders feel threatened, they won't have confidence".

Describing the current "difficult moment" Ambassador Christopher said, "We have a disagreement in which neither side is going to change its stance".

"We opted for Islanders self determination and we're not going to change, so we must work with a positive agenda. We're currently stuck and we can only walk out through cooperation. We have many joint interests (in the South Atlantic), fisheries, high seas agreement, search and rescue training?.we have international obligations".

Sir Christopher recalls that cooperation existed, "?in my four years I've signed three agreements. We have joint interests and there are interests we can continue to have in common. But you can't continue if there's no confidence, if there's no cooperation from Argentina".

Ambassador Christopher also talked extensively about the close links between Britain and Argentina, "we have an important commitment with Argentina. Many years ago my country participated in the building of Argentina and many Britons have their ancestors here. We have an ongoing coincidence of ideas and friendship".

After the 2001/2002 crisis Britain has tried to contribute significantly and ensure links with Argentina and the civil society to share reforms experience, "?economic reform, judicial reform?we've sent British experts to exchange ideas and help; Britain has a long experience with the IMF in the sixties and seventies".

Among the many fields of Argentine-British cooperation Sir Christopher mentioned human rights, freedom of information, democratic governance, Congressional practice, training legislators, energy regulation and regulators, money laundering control, environment, peace keeping operations.

But there are also the Falklands and "we have a several generations' historic difference regarding disagreements, and is going to continue for several generations more".

As to Argentina itself, "in the last few years she has come from hell to achieve an important (economic) growth rate, things are doing pretty well".

Sir Christopher highlighted as another of his tenure of office achievements the remodelling of the British Embassy residence in Madero Unzué, Buenos Aires, which cost five million US dollars and for which he was praised by the Foreign Office.