MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Argentine actions “despicable” says Falklands councillor.
“Our past, present and future vigilance in not allowing Argentina to become involved in any key services to the Islands has and will continue to serve us well.”
This forcible opinion was expressed by Falkland Islands councillor, the Hon.Stephen Luxton, speaking in support of the Motion for Adjournment at the end of last week's Legislative Council meeting in Stanley.
While most of the Legislative Council meetings are taken up with the ritual passing of legislation, which has already been discussed elsewhere and rather staged Questions Requiring Oral Reply, where councillors read pre-prepared answers to pre-advised questions put by their colleagues, the speeches in support of the Motion for Adjournment offer an opportunity for councillors to comment on any issue about which they are personally concerned.
During Friday's meeting a number of councillors took the opportunity to refer to the recent visit to the Falklands of a delegation from the Canadian Parliamentary Association, who had been vocal in their support of the right of the Falkland Islands to self-determination. The Hon.Jan Cheek congratulated the organisers of the visit, which she said had been valuable in helping to promulgate accurate information about the islanders rights; the Hon.John Birmingham said that the Falklands had made "very useful friends" and that he was hoping there would now be other visits from other parts of the world, while the Hon.Norma Edwards said that she would now wait with interest to see whether the visit by the Canadian parliamentarians would mark any difference to Canada's attitude in the Organisation of American States (OAS).
Beginning his pursuit of the same theme, "It might be such visits are an invaluable contribution to strengthening our position in the world and educating our friends, wherever they may be from, in what the Falklands is all about" the Hon. Stephen Luxton then took it further by referring to "the threats that are still lurking from those who would seek to subdue our freedom and way of life."Mr. Luxton said that an interesting theme had developed during discussions in recent weeks, particularly with the Canadian delegation, which was that "the restrictions which are imposed against us by Argentina amount to no more and no less than illegal economic sanctions."He said that it had been interesting to observe that visitors from overseas had viewed more seriously a situation to which long term residents of the Falkland Islands had possibly become too resigned, claiming "The term economic sanctions is one that would arouse fury in most nations affected by such things, but is actually a perfectly valid description of the efforts of the Argentine Government to harm the Falkland Islands' economy by disrupting tourism and communications."
These efforts, he said, would anywhere else in the world cause absolute outrage and concluded, "The actions of the Argentine Government can only really be described as ?despicable' and for as long as they are pursued, deserve the widest possible condemnation from all free and democratic countries, world-wide."
John Fowler (MP) Stanley
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