MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentine Congress launches Malvinas Observatory website

The Argentine government renewed on Tuesday its call to the United Kingdom for a resumption of dialogue on the Falkland Islands sovereignty. The occasion was the official launching of the web site of the Malvinas Parliamentary Observatory which functions in the Argentine Congress Lower House.

It's time for the United Kingdom to honor its responsible country pledge" and in the framework of a diplomatic negotiation to heed "on calls to reestablish dialogue on the Malvinas Islands sovereignty", said Jorge Taiana, Argentine Foreign Affairs minister. Taiana pointed out that the United Kingdom persists in "its refusal to resume a peaceful and diplomatic dialogue with our country in open disregard to pronouncements from the international community". The president of the Lower House Alberto Balestrini, Deputy Jorge Argüello, one of the sponsors of the Observatory, members of Congress from all political groups, several Malvinas "old hands", academics and staff from the Foreign Affairs Ministry Malvinas-South Atlantic islands Desk were present at the opening. Among the personalities considered Malvinas experts was Argentine ambassador in Colombia and former Commander of the Army and Mavinas veteran General Martin Balza and former United Nations ambassador Lucio Garcia del Solar. Taiana invited all members of the Parliamentary Observatory to assess the reasons which support Argentina in calling on the UK "to comply with its international obligations, and the world to continue supporting us in this path". "Only assertion and coherence in the defense of our rights will enable us to convince UK to cease to disregard this profound difference which history recalls day after day and which the world demands us to solve as soon as possible", emphasized Taiana. He described the task of the Observatory as a "privileged scenario to contribute to the full recovery of our sovereignty over the austral archipelagos, with respect for the way of life of its inhabitants and according to International Law". Deputy Argüello said the Observatory must "become a fundamental tool" in ratifying Argentina's position on the sovereignty claim over the Islands and a "new channel" contributing to open negotiations and the so called "dialogue with the UK". Argüello recalled that in 2006 contacts with British MPs paved the way for the establishment of a "parliamentary dialogue" According to the Argentine press the website replays in several chapters the different events leading to make the Malvinas Islands a national cause for Argentines. This includes historic facts, the Argentine position all along the dispute; presentations in different international forums, bibliography and a list of the personalities which have helped or are closely linked to the "Malvinas national cause". The website which can be reached at www.cuestionmalvinas.com.ar also details publications and the program of activities displayed by the Observatory as well as films, photos and a special homage space. The Malvinas Parliamentary Observatory was created last year with the unanimous vote of all members of the Argentine Congress and is managed by a committee with representatives from all political blocks and academics. The list includes Deputies Jorge Argüello, Rosana Bertone, Hugo Perié and Daniel Gallo from the ruling majority; Federico Storani, Federico Pinedo and Carlos Raimundi from different opposition groups and academics, Lilián Del Castillo-Laborde, Rosana Guber, Ernesto López, José Paradiso and Agustín Romero. However Jorge Argüello, one of the main promoters behind the Malvinas Observatory and considered an expert in the Malvinas question plus holding the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Lower House, will have to give up his seat in the committee. Taiana confirmed during the inauguration of the website that Argüello has been named Argentina's next ambassador to the United Nations. He replaces Ambassador Cesar Mayoral.