MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina presses for annual OAS Falklands' claim

Argentina will again request for a solution to the sovereignty dispute with the United Kingdom over the Falklands/Malvinas Islands issue during the Organization of American States annual assembly currently taking place in the Dominican Republic.

The issue figures as a priority in the agenda of Argentina's Foreign Affairs minister Jorge Taiana for the 36th OAS assembly that was officially opened Sunday.

"Among the issues in the meeting's agenda, Argentina extends primordial relevance to the "Islas Malvinas question", which has been considered by OAS as a permanent issue of hemispheric interest including the decision to continue examining the issue until its definitive solution", said an official release from the Argentine Foreign Affairs ministry in Buenos Aires.

Although the Argentine claim is an annual OAS ritual, relations between London and Buenos Aires regarding the Falkland Islands have been strained since Argentina refused to allow charter flights for cruise ship passenger exchanges to pass through Argentine airspace harming the local tourism industry. A similar aggressive attitude was adopted on fisheries.

Scientific cooperation in the South Atlantic fisheries has virtually ceased; Argentina's Coast Guard recently arrested and fined a Falklands' flagged vessel for allegedly poaching in Argentine waters, a very controversial and much disputed action; and foreign fishing companies licenced or operating on both sides of the South Atlantic have been warned by President Nestor Kirchner's administration of the consequences of such "dual" attitude which "ignores" Argentine sovereignty over the Falklands/Malvinas.

However even regretting Argentina's aggressiveness and lack of cooperation, Islanders feel confident about the future.

"It is hard to interpret Argentina's actions towards us as anything other than economic sanctions...this will not succeed in driving us toward negotiations. It will only strengthen our resolve", was clearly expressed in Falklands Governor Howard Pearce's Address to the Nation last month. "While we remain willing to co-operate with Argentina on practical issues such as the fishery, which will benefit both our countries, we will never give up the right to govern ourselves" he added.

Councillor Mike Summers said the antics and activities of the Argentine government have "little or no effect" on either the economy or the community of the Falklands; "whatever it is they do, we will adapt and get by, because we're Islanders and that's what Islanders do". "Cooperation would, indeed, be a better way forward but until it's on offer, we will survive" he underlined.

Councillor Cockwell said "...Falkland Islanders will always require the right to determine their own future. This is absolutely paramount to everything which happens within the Falklands and it will not change". "Until people realise that this will not change we are going to have difficulties with our neighbours. Once they realise that, I think they will find it is quite useful to have a good neighborly relationship with us. But that will take a long time to achieve."

"Argentine intransigence will do them no good in the long-run", said Councillor Mike Rendell. "If only they could realise this, then perhaps we could move on to meaningful exchanges on fisheries, conservation, and oil exploration, which will be mutually beneficial." Councillor Rendell commented "As time goes on it is abundantly obvious that we need to expand and strengthen our other air-links and, that due to Argentine obstruction, this needs to be with the UK".