MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Brown/ Cristina agree they have differences of opinion on Falklands/Malvinas

Pte. Cristina Fernandez and PM Gordon Brown during the meeting

With a strong sense of dejà-vu ended the open agenda meeting Saturday morning between Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, which among other issues addressed the Argentine sovereignty claim over the Falklands/Malvinas.

The early morning 35 minutes meeting, (with 15 minutes absorbed by the Falklands issue) took place in the framework of the Progressive Governance forum that is taking place in Viña del Mar, Chile and which formally opened later in the morning.

”The president (Mrs. Kirchner) stated with great clarity and firmness the need for the United Kingdom to do what the United Nations has asked and to hold talks to find a solution to a sovereignty conflict between the United Kingdom and Argentina over the Malvinas islands question,” Mr Taiana said.

“The Prime Minister replied according to the traditional British position that they are not willing to comply with the (UN) resolution, as long as the Islanders have a different position”, added Taiana.

“The President clearly established that in the XXI century the persistence with an archaic colonial enclave is something not consistent with the world’s rhythm and is something to be solved”, said Taiana.

”The Prime Minister set out the British Government's long standing position on sovereignty in very clear terms. He emphasised the importance of self-determination. Both sides agreed that they have differences of opinion“, said a Foreign Office official following the meeting.

PM Brown had advanced to journalists travelling on his pre-G20 tour on Friday: ”There is nothing to discuss (on the Falklands) from our side”.

“The essential principle has always been that the Islanders should determine the issue of sovereignty for themselves and, let us be clear, our first priority will always be the needs and wishes of the Islanders. They are a proud and strong community and they have my total support and respect.”

“Mr. Brown emphasised the importance of self-determination. Both sides agreed that they have differences of opinion,” the FCO official said. The two leaders also discussed direct flights between Argentina and the Falkland Islands, during the negotiations which were described by Britain as “constructive”.

The rest of their 35 minute discussion focused on how to tackle the economic crisis, according to Mr Brown's aides. The meeting with Mrs. Kirchner came on the fifth day of the UK Prime Minister’s pre-G20 tour, which has stopped in Strasbourg, New York, Brazil and now Chile.

“There was coincidence between the two leaders to support the Brown initiative to increase world trade with a 100 billion US dollars credit to finance exports, plus reforming the multilateral credit organizations”, said Taiana.

The Progressive Governance forum has concentrated on addressing the global financial crisis now spreading to the real economy and helping lay the groundwork for next week's crucial G20 meeting in London, which convenes global leaders beginning with US President Barack Obama and his counterparts from China, Japan, Europe and representatives from developing countries.

Latinamerica will be present with the leaders of the region’s strongest economies, Brazil, Mexico and Argentina.

Other leaders at Viña del Mar include US Vice-president Joe Biden; Brazil’s Lula da Silva; Spain’s Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero; Uruguay’s Tabare Vazquez, host Michelle Bachelet and Norway’s Jens Stoltenberg.