MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Mrs. Kirchner: “honor” for Malvinas veterans and sovereignty dialogue

Senator Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner

Argentina's First Lady Senator Cristina Fernandez called for “dialogue and perseverance” in the struggle to recover the Malvinas/Falklands sovereignty and asked for “honor and respect” for those who fought in the 1982 South Atlantic conflict.

Mrs. Kirchner was the main speaker at the ceremony in Congress for the official presentation of a special five stamps issue to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Falklands/Malvinas conflict. "England has systematically denied all United Nations instances. (But) I believe that with the strength from a democratic government and the conviction that only through dialogue and perseverance, (Argentina's) people and government, without relent or pause" must recover sovereignty over the Falklands/Malvinas. Those present at the ceremony included vice president Daniel Scioli, the provisional president of the Senate Jose Pampuro, members of Congress, Argentine ambassador in Colombia General Martin Balsa, officials from the Post Office and a delegation of Malvinas veterans with whom the First Lady shook hands, one by one. Mrs. Kirchner recalled that during the war she was living in Rio Gallegos and there were fears that the British might bomb the city forcing people at night to cover windows and cars circulated with dimmed lights. She insisted in describing the current situation of the Islands as "a colonial enclave in mid XXI century, and enforced by a nation that considers itself respectful of human rights". "Human rights also mean respect for sovereignty and not keeping something that does not belong to them", underlined Mrs. Kirchner who is tipped as an alternative presidential candidate next October if her husband does not run for reelection. Finally the First Lady addressed the Malvinas veterans and cautioned that "we must not be led to believe that all were cowards", because many Argentines in uniform "went to fight for the honor of all of us, of the nation, and we owe them honor and respect". "It speaks very badly of a community that does not recognize its heroes", underlined Senator Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. During the ceremony two staff members from the Argentine Post Office were honored with commemorative plaques because during the war they were in charge of the Stanley office distributing mail for the thousands of Argentine troops stationed in the Islands. The Buenos Aires press points out that the presence of the First Lady with the Malvinas veterans at the launching of the special stamps issue was also an attempt to make up for the absence of President Kirchner from the main commemoration last April 2, in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego, At the time all was ready to receive the president and his cabinet ministers, but apparently fearing pickets from striking teachers from the neighboring province of Santa Cruz, ---Kirchner's political turf and jumping board ---, at last moment he backed down.