MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Rammell-Bielsa unexpected meeting.

Argentine Foreign Affairs Minister Rafael Bielsa and British Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Bill Rammell unexpectedly met last Thursday in Colombia in the framework of the G24 group that aids this South American country.

According to the Argentine press the meeting was a personal request from Mr. Rammell and apparently the main issue of the agenda was the suspended charter flights to the Falkland Islands.

In the meeting Mr. Bielsa was accompanied by Argentine Ambassador in Colombia, former Malvinas veteran and former Argentine Army Commander General Martin Bielsa and Mr. Rammell by British Ambassador Sir Thomas Duggin.

Although no details of the talks were leaked, the Argentine press suggests that "it must have been substantial since Mr. Bielsa advanced he was looking forward to personally discuss details of the meeting with President Kirchner".

Last year both officials had also met in an attempt to untie the stalled negotiations involving charter flights and Argentina's demand for a direct flight to the Falklands from Argentina.

G-24 comprises 30 nations and international institutions providing assistance to the Andean nation. The conclave in the Colombian city was held to review progress made since a June 2003 gathering of the G24 in London, where participants pledged aid for Colombia's efforts to end civil war, bolster democracy and cope with the humanitarian crisis resulting from the chronic conflict, mainly in the form of refugees.