MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Penguin News Update.

Headlines:
Michael and his Condor arrive home; Falklands War: parliament looks toward 25th anniversary; De-mining meeting; Royal Marines' birthday; Amsterdam is first cruiser.

Michael and his Condor arrive home.

FARMER and seafarer Michael Clarke and his crew have safely returned to the Falklands with his new boat Condor after sailing the Atlantic. Condor arrived in Stanley harbour on Sunday evening to a large welcoming committee of family and friends, having travelled a distance of 8,237 nautical miles. Including seven days of port calls, Michael clocked up a total of 49 days at sea as he delivered Condor, a replacement for the auxiliary ketch Penelope, to her new home. The epic journey started on September 4, when Condor left Heligoland in Germany with Michael at the helm accompanied by Peter Selicky and Burnd Buchner, who is now the owner of the Penelope. Michael said that during the 42 days he spent at sea he experienced approximately 13 days of head winds adding that the weather overall was quite good and never, "...dangerously rough." The 16 metre long Condoris powered by a 220hp Rolls Royce engine which Michael explained is not specifically a marine engine but one from a truck. Progress was made at an average 196 nautical miles per day, burning 420 litres of fuel each day. Stops were made at Guernsey, Tenerife, Cape Verde Islands, and Brazilian cities of Recife, Al Salvador, Rio de Janeiro and Rio Grande. They arrived at Rio de Janiero on September 9 where another Falklands farmer, Ron Dickson, joined the crew. Ron, who gave up life on the ocean waves some 31 years earlier, replaced Burnd who left the ship at Rio to return to his work. Michael said he also gave Peter, who had only undertaken one short journey at sea before, the option to leave; however Peter opted to complete the voyage saying he had, "...come this far and would carry on." Ron described Condoras the, "...smallest boat I have travelled any distance on." He said the southwest Brazilian current combined with southwest winds resulted in a head wind which never produced storms but kept conditions choppy, adding the roughest time was the night before Condor'sarrival in Stanley. Continued on page 3.

Falklands War: parliament looks toward 25th anniversary.

THE Under-Secretary of State for Defence has been quizzed in Parliament about the British government's plans for commemorating the 25th Anniversary of the Falklands War. Two Members of Parliament who have visited the Falklands in recent years, Lindsay Hoyle and Nigel Evans, were involved in the discussion with Ivor Caplin. Mr Hoyle asked the defence man what steps his department is taking to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the war. Mr Caplin said "preliminary discussions" about commemorating the anniversary have taken place with the South Atlantic Medal Association (SAMA82). He commented, "When those ideas have been developed further and agreed with the veterans I will make an appropriate announcement to the House." Mr Hoyle then asked his colleague if he will ensure, "...there will be a tri-service approach to ensure that everyone will have the opportunity to go back to the Falklands?" He added, "It will be the 25th anniversary of the conflict, so we must ensure that the families of those who died will be able to visit the Falklands. We must act sufficiently early because of the logistics of putting such a project together, and I look forward to my honourable friend taking those people out there." Mr Caplin made no promises. He said, "I have written to the chairman of the South Atlantic Medal Association to ask about those issues. I hope that my honourable friend and the House are aware of the significant amount of work that the Ministry of Defence is undertaking on events in 2005. "We will stage commemorations for VE and VJ day, veterans' awareness week and a national day of celebration to commemorate the end of world war two on Sunday, July 10. Plans have recently been confirmed for the commemoration of the 200th anniversary of the battle of Trafalgar." Mr Evans asked the defence under-secretary if "barmy political correctness" would be avoided. He said, "...there might be a temptation to play down the significance of the 25th anniversary to avoid stepping on the toes, or offending the sensitivities, of another country, but will the Minister assure me that that will not happen and that we will assist veterans who wish to visit the islands during the celebrations?" Mr Caplin responded, " I assure the House that the 25th anniversary will be taken seriously?the Government will certainly uphold that commitment, which was made to the veterans of the South Atlantic Medal Association."

News in brief

De-mining meeting.

A COMMITTEE tasked with finding a way to remove mines from the Falkland Islands has held its second meeting. On October 26 and 27, the second meeting of the Joint Working Party (JWP) for carrying out a feasibility study on the clearance of land mines in the Falklands was held in London with the participation of diplomats and experts of the United Kingdom and the Argentine Republic. A spokesperson for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office said, "The meeting took place in accordance with the understanding recorded in the Exchange of Notes of October 11, 2001, and is covered by the formula on sovereignty included in those notes." According to a statement released after the meeting, the JWP considered the overall aims of the feasibility study, its technical and financial aspects, as well as management issues. "In this respect, it appointed new respective project managers." "Understandings" were reached on a number of measures of a practical nature. Yesterday, His Excellency the Governor said he hoped to receive a report on the meeting in the coming week. The JWP will meet next during the second quarter of 2005, in Buenos Aires.

Royal Marines' birthday.

ROYAL MARINES living in the Falklands, both serving and retired, attended a dinner in Stanley last night to mark the Corps' 340th birthday. More than thirty Royal Marines gathered in Malvina House Hotel for the celebration. The centre piece of the evening was the Wilkinson Sword, gifted to the people of the Falkland Islands when the Marines were granted the Freedom of Stanley in 1976 and loaned back to the group by the museum for last night's party.

Amsterdam is first cruiser.

THE Falkland Islands welcomes MV Amsterdamon Tuesday, the first cruise vessel to visit in the 2004/2005 season. Amsterdam will bring with her approximately 1,380 passengers and will anchor in Port William for the day.