MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

No progress with Argentina in four years.

Relations between the Falklands and Argentina have 'slightly deteriorated' during the last four years according to Falklands elected Councillors.

Speaking at their final public session before the Legislature is dissolved on 10th October; the Councillors said that would find it very difficult to pinpoint any areas of progress with Argentina since they were elected to the Legislature in October 2001.

Councillor Mike Summers was most outspoken in his comments, saying that not only had their been a deterioration in relationships between the Falklands and Argentina Governments, but that there had also been a slight deterioration in relationships between the British and Argentina Governments. This had been brought about by the hard-line and unhelpful attitude towards the Islands from Buenos Aires since President Kirchner came to power.

A General Election will be held in the Falklands in November and it is anticipated that six of the present members of the Legislative Council will stand for re-election. Norma Edwards and Stephen Luxton, the youngest member, have indicated that they will not seek re-election.

Hopes in Buenos Aires that by not allowing charter flights between Santiago and the Falklands to fly over Argentina would harm the Islands economy had proved unfounded, said Councillor Summers. He said, 'Yes, this action was a nuisance as it prevented many passenger exchanges for cruise vessels but it had no major effect on our economy',

Asked if Argentina had fulfilled any of their agreed obligations of the historic July 1999 Agreement, the Councillors answered unanimously, 'No, nothing at all.' The Agreement, signed by the Argentina, British and Falklands Governments allowed Argentina passport holders to freely visit the Islands, and the establishing of a permanent War Cemetery at Darwin. The Cemetery was completed more than a year ago. However promises by the Argentine Government that they would revert to traditional English language names for places in the islands have never materialized.

Asked when the official inauguration of the Argentine War Cemetery will take place, Councillor Edwards said that there are no current plans being forwarded from Argentina, and it appeared unlikely that it might ever take place.

Councillor Summers added that there was general disappointment within the Legislature when it was discovered the members of the Falklands Families Commission had attended what he called the 'sham' of a seminar recently in Buenos Aires to discuss the Falklands issue. The Commission, which involves families and relatives of Argentines killed in the War of 1982, had previously insisted that they were a non-political group, so their appearance at the seminar has not helped matters, maintained Councillor Summers.

Bill Brown - Stanley.