MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina/UK Falklands' de-mining talks “positive”

Argentina and Great Britain agreed last Thursday in London to continue with the feasibility studies for the de-mining of the Falklands/Malvinas, reported Friday the Argentine Foreign Affairs ministry.

The sixth meeting of the Joint Task Group for a feasibility study on the de-mining of the Falklands/Malvinas took place between November 21 and 23 with the participation of diplomats and experts from Argentina and United Kingdom, and was described in the Argentine release as "positive".

The Joint Task Group assessed the overall objectives of the feasibility study, financial and technical issues as well as administrative and contract affairs "having reached understandings on several practical aspects".

It was also agreed to keep advancing on several tasks during the inter-meetings period, so as to comply with the shared commitment of elaborating the feasibility study in the framework of the Ottawa Convention on antipersonnel mines.

Both sides decided, provisionally, that the next meeting of the Joint Task Group be held in Buenos Aires, March 2006.

The sixth meeting was convened in compliance with the October 11, 2001 understanding.