MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
“Be nice to the Falklands” advice to Argentina
Visiting the Falkland Islands this week is the recently appointed Head of the British Foreign Office's (FCO) Overseas Territories department, Leigh Turner.
Mr. Turner, who has been in post for two and a half months, told MercoPress that he is attempting to visit "the most important" of the twelve territories which come under the remit of his Department and described his visit to the Falkland Islands as an "unusual and rewarding experience" largely due to the wide variety of people that he had been able to meet since arriving last Friday.
In Stanley today, Tuesday, after a tour, which had taken in much of the West Falklands, Mr. Turner met with members of the Islands' Legislative Council in the morning and had tea with members of the Chamber of Commerce at Government House in the afternoon.
Remarking upon the optimism which he had encountered among members of the Chamber of Commerce, whom he described as "an inspiring group", Mr Turner said that he had been impressed by the number of "good news stories" he had met during his tour of the Islands, including some projects which the FCO had helped finance.
On the subject of UK Argentine relations, Mr Turner said that the recent agreement between Spain, UK and Gibraltar was "a very significant development" which provided a relevant and good model to be followed in the South West Atlantic. Setting aside the sovereignty issue in the Gibraltar talks had allowed some very important issues to be moved forward to mutual advantage.
Cooperation with Argentina on practical matters related to the South West Atlantic was a priority for the British Government, said Mr. Turner, who expressed the hope that Argentina would come to realise that it was in their own best interests "to be nice to the Falkland Islands." In particular, he said, it would be good to get the South Atlantic Fisheries Commission's programme of regular talks going again.
Mr .Turner returns to London on Thursday of this week.
John Fowler (Mercopress) Stanley
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