MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Britain rejects US offer to help UK and Argentina resolve Falklands’ dispute

“We don't think that's necessary”, said a spokesperson for British PM Gordon Brown

Downing Street has rejected an offer from the United States to help the UK and Argentina resolve their latest dispute over the Falkland Islands. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton made the offer after renewed tensions were triggered with the beginning of a round of exploratory oil drilling in the Islands’ waters.

A spokesman for Gordon Brown said he welcomed her comments but did not think her direct involvement was necessary.

Argentina that claims sovereignty over the Falklands/Malvinas has been angered by the decision from several UK companies to drill.

Mrs Clinton said the row should be resolved between the two, but “if we can be of any help in facilitating such an effort, we stand ready to do so”.

However Prime Minister Gordon Brown's spokesman responded to the offer by saying: “We don't think that's necessary.
”We welcome the support of the secretary of state in terms of ensuring that we continue to keep diplomatic channels open but there is no need for that (direct involvement).“

He stressed that ”self-determination of Islanders is the key issue“ and emphasised that Britain and Argentina have a strong ongoing working relationship.

However the spokesman also said the UK believed the oil drilling was ”both the right thing to do and is entirely legitimate“.

Foreign Secretary David Miliband emphasised the point, saying the drilling companies are ”wholly within their rights“ under international law.
Mr Miliband told MPs at Commons question time: ”The government has made it clear it has no doubt about the UK's sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.

“There can be no negotiations on the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands unless and until such time as the Falkland Islanders so wish it and they have made clear they have no such wish”.
”The companies are acting wholly within their rights and wholly within the legality of international law,“ he added.

Ms Clinton spoke about the situation when she stopped in Buenos Aires to meet Argentine President Cristina Fernandez as part of a six-country tour of Latin America.

”What we have requested is mediation as a friendly country of both Argentina and the United Kingdom“ Mrs Kirchner was quoted by the Buenos Aires media.

After the meeting, Mrs Clinton said the US wanted to encourage dialogue but was not offering to act in a mediating role.

Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana last week claimed that by drilling in the disputed waters, Britain was a committing a unilateral act contrary to international law.
He asked United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to bring the UK into talks over the sovereignty of the islands.

The UK government says the Falklands have a ”legitimate right” to develop an oil industry within their waters. (BBC).-