MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Tell Argentina to stop upsetting the Falklanders, says Weston

Simon Weston OBE is a living reminder of the events of Fitzroy - and the war as a whole

War veteran Simon Weston yesterday urged the UK Government to make a clear statement about the Falkland Islands' future, to allay local concerns about Argentine interference.

He was speaking after the islands' governor, Alan Huckle, said Falklanders still felt 'under threat' 25 years after the Argentine invasion. There will be commemorations this summer of the 25th anniversary of the British victory over Argentina, but Mr Huckle said the islands remained an 'operational theatre'. 'There is fear among islanders that it could happen again,' he said. 'There is a potential threat at all times. 'The Argentine government is now a very different government to the Galtieri government back in 1982, but nevertheless it is still a government that is pressing its sovereignty claim and reducing the level of its cooperation with us. 'It has introduced fishing legislation which could affect us for example. People here are in a vulnerable position. 'There are 3,000 islanders and they feel under threat. 'However, their confidence in the protection the British offer us allows us to thrive economically.' Mr Weston, who comes from Nelson, Caerphilly, visited the Falklands for a fortnight last month to make a documentary for ITV. 'The islanders are terrified with what's going on,' said Mr Weston, who received 46% burns after his landing ship, RFA Sir Galahad, was hit by an Argentine missile in June 1982. 'The UK Government is doing nothing about it because they have trade links with Argentina. 'The Argentines were interfering with fisheries and with flights. 'We should allay the islanders' fears and say, once and for all, to the Argentines, 'We're not going away. Stop upsetting people'.' Relations between the islands' government and that of Argentina have cooled since the current president, Nestor Kirchner, came to power in 2003. He has repeatedly reasserted Argentina's claim to the islands but promised he would do so through peaceful means. Islanders fear new fishing laws under consideration in Argentina - forcing trawlers to choose Argentine or Falklands waters - could threaten the territory's income. The setting up of a strictly- regulated fisheries conservation zone around the islands in 1986 has fuelled the growth of the Falklands economy ever since. In 2004 Britain lodged an official protest after an Argentine naval ship committed an incursion of the Falkland Islands fisheries zone. There are also suggestions the 25th anniversary of the war could attract attempted 'flag-waving stunts'. Mr Weston said, 'This current leader of Argentina is doing a lot of sabre rattling. 'It's very unnerving for the islanders. 'When we were filming we met lots of people. 'They are very concerned about what this leader is saying. 'We saw news reports and read in the press that he's very keen to try to get the islands back. 'Whether he would do anything in the way of invading again is highly unlikely at the moment.' He said the UK Government had tried in the 1970s to persuade the islanders to accept changes in sovereignty. 'I suspect the islanders don't trust British politicians. They were almost sold out once,' said Mr Weston. 'They should determine what happens to them, not the UK or Argentine parliaments.' Last week Major Peter Biggs, commander of the islands' volunteer defence force, told a group of new recruits he believed the current threat level to be low. But he added, 'We are in the 25th anniversary year of the Falklands War and so I would say that the probability or possibility of some sort of flag-waving incident is probably higher in this year than it has been since the Falklands War.' He cited as an example the mystery surrounding the discovery of a rubber dingy containing what is believed to have been military kit in a bay a number of years ago. British military sources have not ruled out the possibility of involvement by Argentine special forces in the incident. Last visit loomsThe 25th anniversary commemoration in the Falkland Islands this summer could be Simon Weston's last visit to the place which changed his life. 'I've been back four times,' said the former Welsh Guardsman yesterday. 'I'm going back down later this year. That will probably be the last time. 'It's a hell of along way, and what would be the reason? It's too far to go on a holiday and I'm not a bird watcher.' He said returning to the islands no longer brought back bad memories of the day when all but eight of his 30-strong platoon lost their lives. 'A lot of other people who served there are still having terrible nightmares about what happened - not just on the Sir Galahad.' HMS Sheffield and HMS Antelope were also bombed and lost during the conflict. He said he had spoken to veterans about post-traumatic stress disorder in the course of making films. 'I've been very lucky to put mine to bed.' he said. 'It's gone.' (IC Wales)