MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Cut scientific collaboration with Falklands, says Argentina

The Argentine Foreign Affairs Ministry advised its scientists to abstain from contributing to research linked to the Falkland Islands and surrounding waters.

According to Pescare.com.ar a letter with the suggestion was recently addressed to Luis Barletta, Director of Argentina's main Fisheries Research and Development Institute, INIDEP, Mar del Plata.

The letter was signed by Minister Liliana Teresa Dos Reis from the Malvinas and South Atlantic Desk and states that "the Argentine government dissuades Argentine scientists, even privately, from collaborating and/or contributing with papers, publications or any other form of work".

Interviewed by Pescare, Mr. Barletta said this was normal policy for all Argentine scientific institutions that could have relations with "Argentine territories illegitimately occupied by the British".

Argentina and Great Britain in the framework of the South Atlantic Fisheries Committee, agreed in 1990, have regularly exchanged fisheries scientific information and organized alternatively scientific research cruises regarding South Atlantic species, mainly the Illex squid.

However since the advent of the current Argentine administration scientific cooperation has not been as smooth. Argentina is particularly irritated with the Falklands' government decision to award fishing licences on a 25 year basis instead of annually.

"The recovery of our full sovereignty over the Malvinas, Georgias del Sur, Sandwich del Sur and surrounding maritime spaces is a permanent objective" for the Argentine government, argues Dos Reis in the suggestive letter.

The letter also suggests abstaining from the albatross and petrels conservation campaign sponsored by the United Kingdom.

A workshop relating to the Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels (ACAP) with the participation of scientists from Uruguay, Chile, Brazil, South Africa and British Overseas Territories, among others was held this week in the Falklands.