MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Falklands hopes for stable relationship with Argentina
Governor Alan Huckle who this year concludes his period THE Falkland Islands Government still hopes for a stable relationship with Argentina stated Falklands Governor Alan Huckle in his Government budget address today. He told assembled Members of Legislative Assembly, “It remains the hope of both the British and Falkland Islands Governments to have a stable, co-operative relationship with the people and Government of Argentina.”
Mr Huckle said there are many areas of possible co-operation and trade that could be of mutual benefit, but added, “But it is the Government of Argentina that in 2003 imposed a ban on charter flights to the Falklands and has since restricted air travel here; that in 2007 withdrew from the 1995 Agreement that allowed co-operation on hydrocarbons exploration in a special co-operation area to the south-west of the Falklands; that is no longer prepared to co-operate on fisheries conservation in the south-west Atlantic, effectively preventing the establishment of a multilateral fisheries conservation organisation in an area that is increasingly being over-fished; that has sought to penalise companies wanting to do business in both the Falklands and in Argentina; and that now seeks to control the sea lanes to the Falklands.”
Mr Huckle noted that relations with Argentina had become more difficult since the start of the new round of hydrocarbons exploration in Falklands waters. He said the Argentine Government, “…has reacted by pressing its sovereignty claim more actively in international fora and has, by virtue of Presidential Decree 256, sought to disrupt our legitimate shipping business with South America.”
He said he was pleased that the new British Government had reasserted its strong stance on British sovereignty over the Falkland Islands and its firm support for the Falkland Islands Government’s efforts to develop a hydrocarbons industry.
Mr Huckle condemned Argentina for arguing that Falkland Islanders are just like British Citizens living in the UK. He said this ignores the fact that Islanders are a community quite distinct from the UK. The Falkland Islands are not part of the UK and Islanders have their own identity and separate government.
He also criticised the Argentine government for portraying Argentina as a weaker nation having to deal with a stronger, more powerful Britain when advancing its sovereignty claim. He said “Yet, seen from here, it is a mirror image – of the Falkland Islands with its tiny population of 3000 souls facing a much larger Argentina, which fails to recognise the democratically expressed wishes of the people of these Islands to remain British, under their own self-government, free of Argentine sovereignty and control.”
Finally he said, “Whilst it may be naïve to expect Argentina to give up its sovereignty claim …I would hope that it is not naïve to hope that we can work towards a situation where both Argentina and the Falkland Islands can maintain a sensible relationship of mutual harmony and respect without the spectre that Argentine sovereignty and control might at some stage be imposed on an unwilling population.”
By Lisa Watson – SeaAledPR - Stanley
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Read all commentsMr Huckle condemned Argentina for arguing that Falkland Islanders are just like British Citizens living in the UK. He said this ignores the fact that Islanders are a community quite distinct from the UK. The Falkland Islands are not part of the UK and Islanders have their own identity and separate government.
May 26th, 2010 - 08:14 pm 0He also criticised the Argentine government for portraying Argentina as a weaker nation having to deal with a stronger, more powerful Britain when advancing its sovereignty claim. He said “Yet, seen from here, it is a mirror image – of the Falkland Islands with its tiny population of 3000 souls facing a much larger Argentina, which fails to recognise the democratically expressed wishes of the people of these Islands to remain British, under their own self-government, free of Argentine sovereignty and control.”
hear hear Mr Huckle, the Argentine Imperial claim gets weaker every year as the Falklands people get ever more independent and ever more recognition from the international community it shall be a long drawn our process but in the end the people of the Falklands shall emerge triumphant in a great victory of democracy, tolerance and mutual respect for peoples and human rights over Latin American Imperialism, ultra nationalism, tyranny and denial of basic human rights based on little more than national ego, Latin American supremacy and Anglo-phobic racism....
.......“Falklands hopes for stable relationship with Argentina”.........
May 26th, 2010 - 10:22 pm 0- Wrong!!!!! You have to say “Falklands hopes for stable relationship with Buenos Aires”, since you are part of Argentina. Every province have good and bad relationships with Buenos Aires, you are not the exeption.
...........“Islanders are a community quite distinct from the UK”........
- Wrong again!!!!! The correct statement would be ”Islanders are a community??? quite DISTANT from the UK. GO AWAY!!!!
MAlvinas Argentinas!!!!! For ever!!!
I see Jihad Jorge has excelled himself again.
May 26th, 2010 - 10:34 pm 0If the Islanders see themselves as a community distinct from the UK then that is their notion of identity and they will act it out with a unique set of discourses.
Anyway, this self-determining territory is has the potential to become very weathly on a hydrocarbon indutsry and I am part of it :-)
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