MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Falklands Next of kin visit “abused”
Bookings by Islanders on the Lan flight have been “knocked off” which is “not part of the agreement reached”. THE agreement on the Lan Flight carrying Argentine next of kin to the Falkland Islands has been, “…abused by the other side,” stated Councillor Mike Summers at a debriefing for local media today.
He confirmed that the agreement reached that “…we would have full access, “ to the normal allocation of seats on the flight and the next of kin would have use of the surplus, “has been abused somehow,” in that a number of local bookings have been, “…knocked off.”
Councillor Summers said the Falkland Islands Government felt this was not acceptable and not part of the agreement reached. Councillors have been in discussions with His Excellency the Governor Alan Huckle and he is in agreement with them; the issue has been taken up at the highest possible level in Argentina.
“We hope the issue will be resolved very shortly,” said Councillor Summers.
Asked what would happen if the problem persisted he said, “If there is no agreement then we will have to consider our position.”
Controversy has surrounded the planned visit as the next of kin had originally applied to travel to the islands on a dedicated charter flight. However, because the Argentine Government has banned charter flights to the Falkland Islands, the Islands Government felt it inappropriate to allow the relatives to visit under such circumstances. Instead it was agreed they would visit on a scheduled Saturday Lan flight to the Falklands.
The visits are due to take place on October 3 and October 10 using a larger airframe in order to accommodate the increased number of passengers.
Councillor Summers recently commented, “We want the next of kin to be able to visit and pay their respects to their dead. They are victims as well in their own way so we want it to take place successfully and will continue to work towards that.”
It is not yet known exactly how many Argentine relatives of Falklands war dead will be visiting the islands in October.
Lisa Johnston – SeAledPR – Stanley
Top Comments
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Read all commentsLike always Mike Summers find excuses to keep Argentinian family members out of Malvinas, and not allowing them to visit the graves of their family members, shame on you and go back to Britain where you really belong, Malvinas is part of Argentina and South America not UK nor Europe thousands of miles away.
Aug 25th, 2009 - 05:59 am 0As someone who knows and enjoys both Argentina and the Islands, I find Marcos's xenophobia puzzling. After all, Mike Summers, as outspoken as he might be, is Island-born. Might Summers as easily suggest Marcos return to Spain, Italy, or whatever other country his ancestors might have come from?
Aug 25th, 2009 - 07:39 am 0No, its the Argentine Government who has interfered with the trip to make grand standing politics in Argentina, with no thought or compassion for the families involved. It was the FIG who found a way to break the deadlock over this visit and it was the FIG who has always made it possible for the families to visit. The FIG doesn't find excuses to keep the families out of the Falklands, if it wanted to it could simply block them, it has been sensitive in this matter and facilitated the visit. As usual the Argentine Government has to push the matter beyond agreements to use the subject for its domestic agenda; its no co-incidence that the Kirschners have had “political difficulties” of late.
Aug 25th, 2009 - 06:57 pm 0As the excellent comment about Xenophobia above, he was born there.
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