MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Argentina protests Falklands participation in fishing summit
FALKLANDS delegates at an important fisheries conference in Spain were infuriated this morning by an Argentine protest against their participation. The First World Summit on Fishing Sustainability is taking place in Baiona, Pontevedra. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesWell, well more little silly tactics. No doubt not there fault. Is it not time Argentina stepped back and looked at what they are trying to do from an outside perspective. They do not only make themselves look childish it shows there total disrespect for the host nation and the cause as to why they are actually there! I am sure we will see post's about the Argentine rights etc etc ...... But let's stand up to the fact's, if it had been done to the Argentine delegation they would all have been crying.
Sep 16th, 2009 - 11:25 pm - Link - Report abuse 0it is about time the Argentines grew up! I don't expect it to happen in the next hundred years or so unfortunately. How is it that they participate in joint scientific work regarding the fishery and then do this. Totally and utterly pathetic and disrespectful! As a Falkland Islander I am proud to be British and wish to remain so and the sooner the Argentines stop this childish behaviour (whether it is about fish or next of kin visits etc etc) the sooner we can start to get on.
Sep 17th, 2009 - 12:25 am - Link - Report abuse 0Don Henely says it best “Get Over It”!!!
Sep 17th, 2009 - 12:43 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Yet again Argentina puts their nationalistic feelings ahead of international marine conservation and sustainablitity.For several years now Arge has withdrawn from and refuses to communicate with Falklands Fisheries dept over mutual conservation and fishing sustainability levels in the South Atlantic - talks mutually agreed to be under the !sovereignty umbrella” so neither side was compromised. But no Argentina would rather destroy theor own fishing industry by overfishing rather than accept we are here and need to work together irrelevant to politics.
Sep 17th, 2009 - 05:05 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Islanders, grow up, to accept a “falkland” delegation to participate in the fisheries summit with its own flag is to accept their independence.
Sep 17th, 2009 - 10:05 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Argentina is not interested in recognize the independence of 3000 british(most of them born in the north hemisphere) who live in Argentine territory under a british colony maintained by others 3000 military personel.
shame on you crazy britain.
sorry Luis, it is Argentina that badly needs to grow up!! This was an international MARINE FISHERIES CONSERVATION meeting - nothing at all to do with national politics. Argentina have shown to all the other participating people there just how childish they are! Argentina would rather your own fishing industry ruined through overfishing rather than have dialogue between your fisheries people and ours - talking about fish, nothing to do with politics. All these types of discussions were agreed in 1999 - to be held under the “sovereignty umbrella” - a formula where sensible talks can be held with no compromise to either side,s position on sovereignty. In this case Argentina was in Spain so Argentina - like the Falklands - was in a seperate third party country so again there was no compromise by Argentina and Falklands being there.
Sep 18th, 2009 - 12:48 am - Link - Report abuse 0“...... But let's stand up to the fact's, if it had been done to the Argentine delegation they would all have been crying.”
Sep 18th, 2009 - 02:26 am - Link - Report abuse 0Why would have been it done to our delegation? We are a country. You are NOT. Thank you Spain, you are as commited as we are regarding the terretories stolen by the pirates. One day thwre will be justice in the world. Patience is needed.
Luis, jorge, the Spanish invited the Falkland Islands delegation to participate, they did not simply turn up. The Argentine delegation was apparently so embarressed at what your government has done that they said nothing on day two. Jorge, you are right, one day there will be justice in the world and you will leave us to get on with our lives. Unfortunately the poor old fish don't stand a chance while your country rapes the ocean in a selfish bid to stangle us economically. Is it not true that there is an Argentine rugby delegation in the Islands at the moment spreading goodwill?
Sep 18th, 2009 - 03:15 am - Link - Report abuse 0Ah, Argentina can never pass up the opportunity to be irritating and childish. Yet another example of how they behave like spoilt children, then wonder how the Falklanders can resist the temptation to become Argentine. It only alienates them further.
Sep 18th, 2009 - 04:05 am - Link - Report abuse 0And Luis, the majority of the Falklanders were born there. The level of immigration merely reflects the fact that the population has increased as the economy has expanded. The majority of immigrants come from Chile and St Helena, which happen to be in the Southern Hemisphere last time I looked at a map. Typical isn't it, in your rush to make a smart ass remark, you in fact make an ass of yourself.
And Jorge, keep up the good work, your racist comments simply convince the islanders they want nothing to do with Argentina.
Justin, perhaps you can substantiate your claims that falklanders were mayority born there.
Sep 19th, 2009 - 08:06 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Luis,
Sep 19th, 2009 - 11:31 pm - Link - Report abuse 02001 census:
Total population 2913 less 534 connected with the garrison = 2379 people ordinarily resident in the Falkland Islands. Of those 2379 people some 1325 were born in the Falkland Islands.
In other words 56% of Falkland Islanders were born in the Falkland Islands. I think that is a majority in any language.
Easy the Falkland Islands census - remember the one you quoted previously. Ah I see someone got there first.
Sep 20th, 2009 - 03:33 am - Link - Report abuse 0from your total numbre only, justo only, has falklands status 500 people.
Sep 20th, 2009 - 03:36 am - Link - Report abuse 0only 500 people are between 40.000.000 arges & 60.000.000 britons.
welkin, not sure where your 500 islands residency status comes from? All born here have status by birthright(same as most countries). possibly 500 of those not born here also hold residency status-some married to born islanders or have been here for many years and passed the immigration requirements to gain status.
Sep 20th, 2009 - 04:09 am - Link - Report abuse 0look your 2006 census, table 11. from 3000 only 500 has falklands status. look that table and you will know where these numbers came from.
Sep 20th, 2009 - 05:19 am - Link - Report abuse 0This debate is superfluous as Britain's decline as an economic power will eventually force a settlement with Argentina. If Argentina obtains an accord with her neighbouring south american states and imposes an embargo of the Falklands then the issue of who has the most justifiable claim to the islands will effectively be at an end as Britain simply does not have the economic nor military power to fully support them.
Sep 20th, 2009 - 06:21 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The Falklands are heavily dependant upon trade links with the mainland and if those links are cut then the economy of the islands will collapse overnight.
The discovery of Oil around the islands will have two consequences for the Falklands' people:
It will create a political crisis between Britain,Europe the USA and Argentina and her allies or...
A sovereignty and wealth sharing consensus or...
Another military confrontation; but this time between Britain, Argentina and the whole of the south american continent.
Depending of course on how much oil there is....money talks, hyperbole walks !
Falkland status only applies to those who have acquired it by residency, Falkland Islanders who were born there have it by right. Typically the figures are abused to imply the people born there don't matter.
Sep 20th, 2009 - 09:50 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Argentina is a nation, living in a land ripped from its original inhabitants, most of whom were either slaughtered in various genocidal wars or died of disease imported from Europe. Its utter hypocrisy for Argentina to dismiss the islanders as living in a “stolen” land (which it wasn't), when they're living in a former Spanish colony, where their ancestors expanded into aboriginal land as well as stealing pieces from their neighbours.
As to a military confrontation with the whole of South America. Bullshit. Whilst many in South America may mouth sympathetic platitudes with Argentina, they're not going to be prepared to damage their economies by backing Argentina when they have nothing to gain and everything to lose. Why would they go to war, losing blood and treasure for no benefit to themselves.
And there is a perfectly simple and civilised way to decide who has the most justifiable claim; take it to the International Court of Justice - something that Britain suggested in talks back in 1981. Except that every time Britain has offered to take Argentine claims to the ICJ (and yes Luis before you leap in it was the Falkland Islands dependencies), it has been Argentina that refuses. It does so because it knows it would lose.
The Argentine claim does not date from 1833 as claimed, in its current form it was revived in the 1930s by a bunch of fascists who labelled themselves the New Conquistadores in the mould of Hitler and Mussolini. It was adopted by Peron who used it purely as a device to generate anti-British feeling and its been exploited ever since to unite the people. Argentina indoctrinates its children from an early age with a mendacious version of history that would have made the Nazi's proud.
Justin you said: ''Argentina is a nation, living in a land ripped from its original inhabitants, most of whom were either slaughtered in various genocidal wars or died of disease imported from Europe. Its utter hypocrisy for Argentina to dismiss the islanders as living in a “stolen” land (which it wasn't), when they're living in a former Spanish colony, where their ancestors expanded into aboriginal land as well as stealing pieces from their neighbours.''
Sep 20th, 2009 - 11:00 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The British did much the same thing over one fifth of the planet during its imperialist period...or have you forgotten that? How about the native Australians? the native Americans? the people of the Indian sub-continent? China? Ireland? Canada? New Zealand - where the native people were slaughtered and how about Tasmania - where the indigenous people suffered a long process of state sanctioned genocide that resulted in their almost extinction? I wont mention Africa and the genocidal policies against the Zulu nation and the Hottentots of the Cape provinces.
The British claim to the Falklands is based entirely upon the fact that the British discovered them....would this claim stand-up in the ICJ?? If it did then Britain would theoretically have the right to reclaim many of its forner colonies that are now sovereign nations.
Sorry but you're talking bollocks.
Sep 21st, 2009 - 05:23 am - Link - Report abuse 0Britain's claim doesn't depend on discovery. In fact discovery of its own right does not confer a sovereignty claim. Its claim rests on continuous, open and effective possession and the self-determination rights of the islanders.
You claim to be proposing a solution to preventing your predicted apocalypse by appeasing Argentina. Binding arbitration by an independent legal authority, is a bloodless way of sorting the issue but one that would leave Argentine macho pride dented.
As to the majority of your rant, you clearly missed the point that Argentine history is replete with the same conduct. Its not to excuse, merely to illustrate Argentine does not hold the moral high ground.
The very definition of colonialism is the domination and subjugation of a people by a alien culture. Argentina's ambitions in the Falklands would create a colonial situation.
justin you say: ''Britain's claim doesn't depend on discovery. In fact discovery of its own right does not confer a sovereignty claim. Its claim rests on continuous, open and effective possession and the self-determination rights of the islanders.''
Sep 21st, 2009 - 07:04 am - Link - Report abuse 0This where your argument begins to collapse because the British cannot claim ''continuous and effective possession'' of the falklands. The British were effectively absent from the islands until circa 1830 when it was decided to evict the Argentine settlement from what is now Port Louis and appoint a British resident.
There was absolutely NO established permanent British civilian settlement on the Falklands until AFTER 1840 and this was only created after British commercial interests lobbied the British government for a charter to develop a civilian presence on the islands in order to exploit natural resources.
And, despite what the most recent census of the Falklands', claims....the truth is that fewer than 35% of the present population of the islands can claim descent from those original settlers.
I am enjoying reading the arguement, but lets just face the facts. When Argentina populated the Islands, it consisted of murderers, and in the end most of them were murdered each other.
Sep 21st, 2009 - 06:36 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Every member of the UN signed up to many of UN's conventions and Human Rights, which include Self-Determination, and the people of the Falklands, including myself want to remain British. That is all that matters.
And I mostly enjoyed Rogers theory on the Falklands, and that war rubbish. It did make me laugh. But it is nice to read someones opinions who knows little about the islands, and who has probably never travelled here, and seems to know what is right for a country...and still thinks he is right when he continues to argue with someone from the Islands...I would love to argue with an American and tell them that their Constitution is an outdated piece of legislation what causes a lot of problems in America. Gun crime for one.
Neil,
Sep 21st, 2009 - 07:26 pm - Link - Report abuse 0So where were you between 1833 and 1842? If there was no British presence you were pretty slack at asserting your so called rights.
The truth is that in 1833 Spain had not relinquished its claims to the Falklands and never protested to the British about their presence there. They did not even accept Argentina's independence until many years later.
Your analysis about British declining power is interesting and ignores the fact that for the time being the British are upgrading their military presence in the Falklands (Typhoons for instance!!)
Well the 1806 British invasion of Buenos Aires is the same hoary old argument that is always trotted out as a last resort.
By the way in most instances the British left their former empire possessions in the hands of the indigenous populations, more than can be said of the Spanish occupiers who still hang on in South America and elsewhere. Though they are getting elbowed out now in some places. Good for the indigenous peoples.
I would simply add to Justin's remarks and say that your arguments are inventive fanciful bollocks.
Neil, 1806 - more than one serious Argentine peson has commented tp me privatley that the worst thing the Spanish(they were not Argentinians then) ever did was beat off that british Attack - if they had let Britain win - Argentina would have become a British Colony in the 1800s - and almost certainly become a replica of Australia - long since independednt, memeber of the Commonwealth, stable democracy, well developed economy, rich nation, etc etc - and the Falklands would of couse have long ago become part of it!
Sep 21st, 2009 - 09:18 pm - Link - Report abuse 0As Justin says - British colonial past in some areas of the world was a bit murky - but all those territories were duly granted stable independence to their peoples - with the possible exception of some troubles in India in 1945-47 - they did NOT have to fight the colonial masters for it as all the Spanish Colonies had to.
Descendents of the original settlers? So just how many Argentinian citizens can trace their families to the settlers of 1600s etc? What a silly argument.
S American solidarity against Britain? Please show me where S America is united about anything? Yes there is lipservice to Argentina in the UN - but that is as far as it goes and all sides know it.
23Islander - you say that: ''Neil, 1806 - more than one serious Argentine peson has commented tp me privatley that the worst thing the Spanish(they were not Argentinians then) ever did was beat off that british Attack - if they had let Britain win - Argentina would have become a British Colony in the 1800s - and almost certainly become a replica of Australia - long since independednt, memeber of the Commonwealth, stable democracy, well developed economy, rich nation, etc etc - and the Falklands would of couse have long ago become part of it! ''
Sep 22nd, 2009 - 01:11 am - Link - Report abuse 0I always remember my visit to Shanghai,China and especially the little park that was created by the british when they subjugated most of China after the Opium wars.
There is a sign on the gate that says: ''no dogs or chinese''
Neil,
Sep 22nd, 2009 - 02:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Amusing comments. It is interesting that you quote past events (China) as reprehensible but then plan to do exactly the same to Falkland Islanders. No doubt if you were ever to take over the Falklands (Impossible scenario of course) there would be an enormous banner strung across the Narrows reading reading.. NO FALKLAND ISLANDERS OR DESCENDANTS OF FORMER IMPERIALISTS.. That is assuming that you have by then developed the technical ability to stop the wind blowing it away (You seem to have plenty of surplus wind !!)
What a smug ill informed person you are, the British Empire ceased to exist in the 40's and 50's Argentina's Imperialism continues and expands apace (In your silly heads only of course)
kelper what you say is not quite correct. In any joint sovereignty agreement, or even if Argentina acquires total sovereignty over the Falkland Islands,the islanders would retain the right of self-determination which includes the right to retain their british citizenship.
Sep 22nd, 2009 - 07:34 pm - Link - Report abuse 0There would be no imposition of Spanish as a first language or indeed any enforced change to the islanders' cultural traditions or way of life.
Economically there would be great benefits and far greater personal freedom. You would not be tied to European legislation which you must admit is eroding your most fundamental freedoms and costing your government a great deal of money to impose and enforce.
Trade links with Argentina would open great new opportunities for your economy and of course you would enjoy subsidised travel to Argentina and the rest of south america via scheduled,reliable air and sea links.
Your natural resources would of course be exploited subject to international agreement with direct involvement of the Argentine government,Britain and yourselves thru your executive council.
Such an accord would offer Argentina the opportunity to place itself in the pantheon of civilised nations as a credible,democratic and reliable ally of the west, so we would of course do our utmost to ensure that the Falklanders continue to enjoy their unique way of life in perpetuity.
We have reliable scheduled airlinks and sea links to Europe and S America. I dont quite see AerolineasArgentinas name in the same toplist of reliable airlines like Lan? Is that perhaps why most cruise ships operating from Ushuaia use Lan from Santiago or Buenos Aires and not Aerolineas? Susidized flights - yes we know very well that if Aerolineas ever did operate B Aires to Falklands the flight would be heaviuly subsidized initially to force out Lan and then when only Aerolineas left you would have total control over us - sorry we went down that road in the late 1970s - once bitten twice shy.
Sep 22nd, 2009 - 08:52 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Argentina could gain all it wants as a respected civilised nation by accepting our right of selfdetermination as a population and working with us in peasefull coexistence instread of trying to take us over all the time. Thats the only reason why Britain maintains a strong modern military base here.
About EU beaurocracy - yes I would not disagree with you.Freedom is expensive
Poor narrow-minded people. they don't understand thet Argentina will never drop its claim. It is a dream this islanders have. Poor of them when they realized they wasted many years supporting an idea with no future, when they look at themselves more isolated than they are now and British(pirates) stop giving them flights to erope or trade and everything go back to the times before war. That will happen for only one reason, British people don't give a s**t about islander. Ask them in london streets, they don't even know what and where Malvinas(or Falklands) is and when 99% of british people don't care about malvinas, they will go back to Argentina and south america because here none of us forget(or forgive in many cases) Malvinas. They are always in our minds. No one forget what is from one's self. The rigths of 40000000 argentines will triumph one day and we move according to that thought.
Sep 22nd, 2009 - 11:44 pm - Link - Report abuse 0So remember, self-determination will never be recognized to you from any south american nation, just forget it. Think when you're going to disscuss sovereignty because the only thing you have for sure is that one day it will happen.
Cheers.
Neil:
Sep 23rd, 2009 - 12:18 am - Link - Report abuse 0I expect Mike Summers can fight his own corner regarding your remarks.
The British fishing fleet cannot be directed by the UK Government to relocate if they are not so inclined to do so, they are only obliged to comply with UK and EU fishing laws. Besides their ships are mostly inappropriate for the type of fishing that takes place in the South West Atlantic.
I am a strong supporter of the EU and appreciate the opportunities and peace it brings to Europe and its associates.
Islander fully expresses my opinions so need to repeat what he says. I see you are still on the pork pies and tripe.
I see you are of the Winnie the Pooh persuasion, all demonstrably been tried before and failed. Why? Because we can all see that your approach is insincere and totally self serving. If you were really genuine you could offer all the benefits you crow about without strings attached. Long experience tells us that with yourselves it is not strings but chains that come with the package.
You apparent reasonableness comes with many hidden traps so no thanks speaking for myself alone. You Malvinised though processes probably prevent you from realising how vomit making and patronising your words are.
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Jorge,
Who gives a sh1t about what you and your 39,999,999 compatriots think.
Mujica is not far wrong.
why are you so nervous, mr.xpenser??
Sep 23rd, 2009 - 01:01 am - Link - Report abuse 0if you dont´give nothing about what we think; why we should care about you?? why we should coop?? why we should be good neighbours??
jorge, remember one thing, now we are 40millons, in 20 years we will be 60 millons; in 82 we were 28 millons. In 82 we lost by points in the last round because we fight alone. In 20 years we will meet again but won´´t be alone. Argentina is Brazil´s key to antartica and the british are like a wall for them. Brazil don´t forget that the most important war they fought & won was side by side with argentina.
expat kelper - the proposal that the falklands could develop their own independent fishery with a fleet from Britain and the development of an infrastructure to process pack and export the product actually on the islands....was made by british member of parliament Eric Varley at a public meeting in Port Stanley in 1985.
Sep 23rd, 2009 - 01:45 am - Link - Report abuse 0Mr.Varley emphasised that a growing number of british fishing vessels were becoming redundant because of ever tightening E.U. quotas, and that if those ships came to the islands it would not only preserve the british fishing fleet but also provide badly needed employment for crews and their families.
This proposal was rejected by the Islanders outright.
Add this response by the islanders with their response in 1998-99 to keep their oil and seek independence from Britain.....and it doesnt really reflect the level of loyalty to Britain that you claim.
Does it?
Ah I see “Mr Rogers” let the mask slip and is no longer pretending to be British, there you go.
Sep 23rd, 2009 - 05:10 am - Link - Report abuse 0The British absence is of course an Argentine myth, another of their myths they weave about the Falklands. When Jewett limped into the Falklands in the wrecked Heroina, it was the British explorer Weddell who assisted him into harbour; notice the British explorer was already there. One of 40-50 ships who were already there. So much for this much vaunted absence.
And Jorge it is for the Falklanders to forgive, you were the bunch of thugs who steamed in and trashed the place. Its Argentina that never passes up a chance to be confrontational. The “rights” of 40,000,000 Argentines do not extend to colonising the Falklands against the will of the people who live there.
And only 35% of the Falklands population have a connection to the 1841 settlers? What proportion of the Argentine population have roots prior to the 1880s wave of emigration? Look the answer up, its illuminating.
Whilst racist and mendacious at least Welkin has the honesty to admit Argentina has no intention to be a good neighbour. Something Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay might remember.
Tell me, when does Argentina plan to return Paraguayan territory seized in the War of the Triple Alliance.
All together now....“but that's,well different”.
can I mr.H??
Sep 23rd, 2009 - 07:29 am - Link - Report abuse 01) according to a Conicet research more than 50% of the argentine population has aboriginal DNA.- And here i´m not counting the other 50% to answer your question.
2) Well, perhaps we will give Formosa to Paraguay the day they claim it; but this will be difficult since the moment we settled with them all the territorial disputes. Here the risk for kelpers is that Malvinas would follow Formosa´s luck if you push us (argentina & brasil) to war like Solano Lopez did. Now Formosa is argentine and we are friends with Paraguay; and perhaps tomorrow Malvinas will effectively be argentine and we will be friends with the britons.
Welkin:
Sep 23rd, 2009 - 03:50 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You are confusing your X's and H's.
So plenty of UK residents have Viking DNA but it does not make us Norwegians!
Whilst you continue to bully your neighbours as a matter of policy you will never achieve the respect your people actually deserve.
By the way you did not lose on points in the Conflict, you surrendered unconditionally. Menendez did delete unconditionally but it had no effect because he was unable to negotiate any conditions in any event.
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Neil,
Your credibilty has just gone up in a puff of smoke. Your claim of a full blown offer of the British fishing fleet has now been reduced to a suggestion from an MP who had no authority to make an offer.
Give us a break and try some honesty for a change.
expat, you are not looking the reality; Argentina never surrendered anything; we only lose that war but every day we are conditioning & challenging british presence in Malvinas; and according to the facts it seems this will continue until an agreement could be achieved.
Sep 23rd, 2009 - 06:23 pm - Link - Report abuse 0britain is loosing respect; look regional countries´s declarations...even Jamaica & Trinidad supports Argentina, commonwelth´s countries!!! this couldn´t have happened 50 years ago; but britain is loosing power and respect in the region so this is happening now and it will continue.
The full support the region give us means respect to our position.
Sorry folks, in the real world countries vote at the UN according to what issues they have affecting them and which is more important for political pr reasons. so all S.American will vote for Argentina naturally-in the UN General Assembly where nothing really matters in reality and the same in an outdated largely irrelevant “decolonization committee”. So some regional commonwealth countries decide they need to be close to Argentina for some economic or group reason more importantly than backing britain over the Falklands as an old colonial power. That is life and we know it - it is very difficult for britain to make our case as many see britain as the old world old colonial power. We need to male our own case - but i bet Argentina would object very strongly if we asked for a UN impartial fact-finding mission - or even an OAS one to visit our Islands and see for themselves! Get real folks - many countries have often said one thing at the UN - but do something else if the chips are down and a basic principle is violated! That is why even the then anti western communist Russia did not back Argentina in 1982. And it is why Spain and Italy backed the British position in i982. Same as the UN support for 1st Iraq war when they invaded Kuwait. If anyone thinks that the rest of S America will team up behind and with Argentina if she ever tried to invade us again - I rather doubt it - for the same reasons they stayed neutral in 1982.
Sep 23rd, 2009 - 07:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Of course we know that Arg will never drop the claim. Same way as you must know that we will never accept it nor give in to it. So lets be grown up and try to look for areas where both sides can agree and co-operate that are out side or seperate from the political dispute. We used to co-operate over regional fisheries conservation, there was even a joint agreement over oil for certain areas. The Islands have never thrown any dollys out of the pram and scrapped mutual beneficial agreements - I wonder who has and continues to do so?
Welkin:
Sep 23rd, 2009 - 07:57 pm - Link - Report abuse 0When you get down to the support you claim in the end most of the resolutions at various meetings support the terms of the UN call to negotiate a peaceful solution. Nothing wrong with Commonwealth countries supporting that position. Individual SA Countries and others may well support Argentina's sovereignty claims but that is an entirely different matter. They also support a peaceful resolution which in the end in my opinion will favour the inhabitants of the Falklands.
Since the conflict the Falklands and the UK have negotiated peaceful and contructive arrangements re fishing, oil and communications virtually all of which Argentina has reneged upon.
You are a totally unreliable country. You ignore the UN call to work in the interests of the inhabitants of the Islands and even refuse to talk to them. How can this position generate respect? I am sure your so called friends are smiling behind their hands at your total failure to make progress.
You are grasping at straws, you have not made one jot of progress at achieving your aims. Why not try a more constructive approach? Soon the Kirchners will be gone and although I see no real change the Falklands in the meantime will continue to go from strength to strength.
yes the Kirchners will soon be gone and a more nationalist anti-west administration will replace it. The new government will assume a very different position on the Falklands issue and will simply impose an embargo on the islands and forget it.All your links with south america will suddenly come to an end.
Sep 28th, 2009 - 07:38 am - Link - Report abuse 0The we shall see how long your booming economy will last when you are forced to beg the british taxpayer to fund regular air and sea links to the Islands.
The fish stocks are declining as fast as the british economy, we know there is no oil despite the claims of Rockhopper. Sheep are worthless and you never found any gold.
We have all the time in the world.
How long will you last trapped on those islands eating mutton and potatoes 365 days a year?
Neil,
Sep 28th, 2009 - 04:03 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Typical of your Governments reactions when you lose a reasoned argument you resort to threats. This is exactly how you deal with all your neighbours.
How are you going to fare in future against the power and potential might of Brazil for instance? Already you are slipping further and further backwards in relation to their progress.
I suppose you could continue to cling to their shirt tails in Mercosur or try and take the more sensible approach and get your own house in order.
Dragging yourselves from the contrived morass of self pity and recrimination you find yourselves in would be a good start. Also taking a more mature and grown up approach to the Falklands would help a great deal. I would support such an effort wholeheartedly.
There is no progress to be made simply calling upon your so called friends at international conferences to echo back your own words as a reflection of your own delusional and largely invented beliefs. These are fine weather friends as you found out to your cost in 1982.
But cheer up, if you stop overfishing and kill off corruption at the highest levels there is till hope on the horizon. If you try and cease to be a nation of 40M individuals all trying to to get the biggest share for yourselves whatever that takes and however it damages your friends and relatives rather than building a true nation you might just succeed in convincing others you have something to offer. But don't hold your breath.
Here endeth the lesson.
Hmm, I think the Falklanders would far rather be eating mutton and potatoes 365 days a year than be governed by a third-rate, tin-pot, third-world federal “republic” who's only reputation in the world now is that it quite often defaults on it's debt...
Sep 28th, 2009 - 04:28 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The French have a saying for this, La plus ça change, la plus c’est la même chose (the more things change, the more they say the same). Typically when you lose the argument, you simply revert to type and resort to threats. Threat get you nowhere with the British, if anything they just make them that bit more stubborn.
Sep 28th, 2009 - 06:08 pm - Link - Report abuse 0A national anti-West Government eh, great, we can just watch while Argentina slides further down the toilet whilst telling everyone they could have been a contender if it wasn't for everyone else keeping Argentina down. In many ways the country increasingly reminds me of the saddo at the end of the bar telling everyone how great they could have been. I hear the new national anthem will be shoulda, woulda, coulda....
And yes I imagine Falklanders will be quite content with a diet of mutton and potatoes in preference to colonisation by Argentina.
I often recall Argentine friends of mine-pre 1982 when there was a level of it from both sides-saying two things.
Sep 28th, 2009 - 06:49 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Argentina is the land of tomorrow-tomorrow and tomorrow(manana) - because we will never actually do anything about it.
Argentina has many great natural riches - but it has one big problem -29million(at that time) Argentines living in it.
So if it has to be mutton and spuds like before - so be it! But maybe not, as other countries are a bit more grown up, even if one is sadly not.
Instead of negotiate & live without conflict in peace you prefer potatoes, mutton & underdevelopment.
Sep 29th, 2009 - 09:48 am - Link - Report abuse 0the next kelper generation; will be so irrational?
why don´t you try with an hipercalorical & hiperproteical diet??....like your anglo mates from around the world.
Welkin,
Sep 29th, 2009 - 03:13 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You miss the point completely. Without Argentina's claim against the legitimate inhabitants of the Falkland Islands there would be no conflict.
You recreated the conflict in modern times (1960's at the UN) only you can solve it by a change in attitude.
How will the next generation of Argentines view all this foolishness by their forebears?
“Negotiate and live in peace”
Sep 29th, 2009 - 07:12 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Negotiate does not mean capitulate to all Argentine demands as you seem to think, it does in fact imply that both sides are willing to talk. The Falkland Islanders have expressed a willingness to talk to Argentina, whereas Argentina refuses to talk to them; whilst demanding negotiations - go figure.
Nor do negotiations require that the Falkland Islanders talk to Argentina with a gun held to their head, whereas Argentina seems to think that negotiation are somehow facilitated by petty minded interference in Falklands Affairs vis-a-vis the petty-minded spat this article refers to. Nor are they facilitated by Argentine threats to apply “pressure” through overt economic sanctions or a direct military threat; such as sending Argentine warships into Falklands waters.
Nor are negotiations facilitated by Argentina's annual pantomime at the UN, where Argentina troops out various non-entities to dismiss the islanders as mere chattels with no say in their own future.
The Islanders response is not irrational, Argentina has created and sustains the conflict. Their reaction to prefer to live in democratic freedom as opposed to domination and subjugation by Argentina is perfectly understandable.
I suppose at some point democracy will mature in Argentina and they may have more respect for democratic principles and human rights. Indeed then, at some point Argentines will look back at this foolishness of their forebears and hang their heads in shame that it lead to the deaths of nearly a 1000 young men in the prime of life.
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