MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falkland Islanders “feel vulnerable” to Argentine pressure

Ambassador Dr. John Hughes

Falkland Islanders “feel vulnerable” to Argentine pressure
The British Embassy in Buenos Aires said the increased political and economic pressure exercised by Argentina on the Falkland Islands has made the Islanders “feel vulnerable”.

The Embassy Press Spokesman confirmed Ambassador John Hughes' meeting on Friday at the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs but said that â€"because it was a private meeting- it was not the Embassy's policy to make the discussions public. However the British Embassy was quick to point out the Argentine's government "clear public and constitutional commitment to peaceful means of resolving the Falklands dispute". In an article published last February 5 credited to Chris Hughes from Port Stanley, and titled "Argies new claim to isles 25 years after war; it could happen again any time says Governor", Huckle is quoted saying that "there is the fear that (the Argentine invasion) could happen again. There is a potential threat at all times" and although "the (current) Argentine government is very different from the one in 1982 "it's pressing its sovereignty claim and has reduced co-operation". "People here are vulnerable. There are 3,000 islanders and they feel under threat". Brigadier Nick Davies, UK commander of the MPA 1,800 military presence, said: "In both countries there's going to be more attention paid this year to both remembering what happened in 1982 and the issue of the Islands. "My focus is to maintain our deterrent posture here and deal with whatever might happen" "We are here to ensure we never have to do 1982 again. That is our stated mission - to deter any aggression ... to make sure we're not in a position where we lose the islands and have to retake them", said Brigadier Davies. "My job is to make sure that any interference at any level, whether it's someone making an incursion or someone wanting to take control of the Islands, is an extremely costly venture for anyone". Brigadier Davies also underlined that the infantry in the Falklands are equipped with the same weapons system as in Iraq and Afghanistan. Journalist Hughes in his article underlines that Argentine president Kirchner has put the Falklands back on the country's agenda and with presidential elections this year "means he will rally support to claim the remote South Atlantic islands". Kirchner has vowed to pressure Britain into handing them over through economic moves, banning trade and passenger flights to Argentina. The Daily Mirror states that British commanders and officials in the Islands believe Argentina "could use this year's 25th anniversary of the Falklands War to renew its claim of sovereignty over the British held territory". The Daily Mirror article was picked up in Buenos Aires by the pro government Clarin newspaper that revealed the Friday meeting, "a couple of hours after Foreign Affairs minister Jorge Taiana had returned from a week long visit to France". Apparently and according to Buenos Aires diplomatic sources quoted by Clarin, Argentina is concerned "with real British intentions behind the current statements from Huckle and Davies". The Kirchner administration believes that the recent string of statements is a "campaign by Britain" to take advantage of the imminent 25th anniversary of the war and install as a fact the "alleged Argentine aggressiveness" thus justifying the "unsustainable occupation of the Malvinas Islands", reports Clarin. According to Embassy sources Ambassador Hughes pointed out that the military garrison in the Falklands "was not news to anybody" and additionally described Argentina as "a valued international partner" with whom the UK regularly cooperates in international organizations and other matters including non proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Besides at military level, "there was good interaction with the Argentines through high level reciprocal visits, staff college exchanges and regular military talks" said the British embassy spokes person. With the imminence of the commemorations of the 1982 South Atlantic conflict (April 2, Argentine invasion to June 14, British recovery), literally tens of journalists and television crews have landed on the Falkland Islands.