MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Falklands should not interfere with UK’s Latin America renewed approach
Foreign Secretary William Hague recalled when Britain was the leading investor in Latin America The Falkland Islands dispute must not get in the way of Britain boosting its relations with Latin America, Foreign Secretary William Hague said Tuesday. London has neglected its ties with the region for too long and Britain must re-launch its relations with Latin America as its importance on the global stage grows, Hague said.
He made clear there would be no change to Britain's sovereignty over the Falklands, the Islands in the South Atlantic which are claimed by Argentina.
“It is our intention not to let differences come in the way of closer cooperation,” Hague said in London in the annual Canning Lecture on British-South American relations.
“There will be no change to Britain's long-standing position on the Falkland Islands. But this should not be an obstacle to the positive relations we seek.”
Hague said Britain has a track record of underestimating Latin America and neglecting its opportunities: “over the last 20 years there has been a steady decline in UK interest.“
He noted that by World War I, 50% of foreign investment in Latin America came from Britain, while British exports now make up barely one percent of all international exports to the region.
”We export over three times more to Ireland than we do to the whole of Latin America,“ he said, adding that other major European countries like Germany, France and Italy had ”left us behind“.
”Now is the time for Britain at last to think afresh about Latin America and the opportunities it presents for political cooperation and trade and investment.”
Hague said he wanted Britain to be the first port of call for Latin American countries looking to expand abroad, and called for a climate change alliance between Europe and the region. He also reaffirmed Britain's support for Brazil to be given a permanent seat on a reformed and expanded United Nations Security Council.
Read the full speech “UK’s retreat from Latin America is over”:
http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/news/latest-news/?view=Speech&id=25092682
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Read all commentsMr. Hague may feel that 'the UK's retreat from Latin Amercia is over', but ... newsflash for Mr. Hague ... the LatAm nations will choose their own freinds from now on. They are no longer mere coloured patches on a map. They are evolving, dynamic societies determined to find their own way in the world and, while happy to be cordial and cooperative with all nations, will no longer be subject to the intentions of European or North American policies and strategies. But, hey, if the UK can compete in the LatAm marketplace ... bring it on. But, perhaps the welcome here will be greater is colonial baggage is left behind.
Nov 10th, 2010 - 03:43 am 0He could as well have said:
Nov 10th, 2010 - 05:50 am 0“There will be no change to Britain's long-standing position on the Falkland Islands. We are coming after your territories and natural resources. But this should not be an obstacle to the positive relations we seek.”
A piece of Hague's speech reads:
Nov 10th, 2010 - 06:56 am 0“It was Britain that negotiated the terms of the independence of Brazil from Portugal.”
The truth: At first, Brazil's independence was accepted, albeit with little enthusiasm, by Portugal. But of course, the British saw further than all others. They advised the Portuguese to only accept the independence claim after being paid a sum in gold. And the Portuguese did just that. The Brazilian king Pedro I paid it, after all he was a heir of the Portuguese throne himself. He probably thought he could recover it in Portugal. But the gold didn't go to Portuguese Royal coffer; it went to British banks, to whom the Portuguese crown was highly indebted. That is “friendship” and “negotiation”, British Empire style.
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