MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Timerman recalls April 2 Falklands’ invasion saying Argentina is not alone in its Malvinas sovereignty claim

Foreign Affairs Minister Hector Timerman

Argentina has the support of numerous international organizations and regional forums in its sovereignty claim over the Malvinas Islands, writes Foreign Affairs minister Hector Timerman in an article under the heading of “Argentina is not alone in its Malvinas claim”

He argues that the ‘Malvinas Cause’ because of the growing concern with UK’ search for natural resources in areas that remain under colonial control, has decisively become a ‘regional cause’.

Saturday April 2 commemorates the invasion 29 years ago by Argentine military forces of the Falkland Islands, an adventure that cost over 900 lives, the defeat 74 days later by a UK Task Force and the complete collapse in 1982 of the military regime that ruled Argentina since 1976.

“On April 2 we honour the fallen and veterans who 29 years ago left their lives and youth to recover what belong to us in the Malvinas War”, writes Timerman in an article with massive distribution in Argentina’s official media.

The fallen and veterans commit us to continue the struggle, “this time with the arms of diplomacy to recover the full exercise of our sovereignty over the Malvinas, Georgias del Sur and Sandwich del Sur islands and surrounding maritime spaces.”

Timerman then emphasizes that Argentina is not alone in her claim: “numerous international organizations, regional and bi-regional forums have added their voices in support of a prompt solution to the dispute through negotiations between Argentina and the UK”.

The Argentine official includes in the list the United Nations, the Organization of American States, the Ibero-American summits, the Group of 77, the summits of South American and Arab countries and the summits of South America and African countries.

He makes special mention of the February 2010 Summit of Latin American and Caribbean countries which includes many former British Caribbean colonies and the reiterated strong position from Mercosur and Unasur members that not only expressed solidarity with Argentina’s claim but are also committed to adopt measures “to avoid the consolidation of the colonial situation” in the South Atlantic.

“To this we must add the commitment displayed with concrete actions by our Brazilian, Chilean and Uruguayan brothers”.

Timerman points out that the Malvinas question has become a regional cause given the concern with UK’s search for natural resources in areas under control as colonies, “re-editing the policy of resources exploitation which characterized British actions both in our America as in Asia and Africa since the 18th century”.

This, plus the fact the UK “has established a true military fortress in the South Atlantic which constitutes an affront that is a threat for the all the region”.

The article says that the Argentine government reiterates its permanent negotiations willingness adding it is not contrary to cooperation with the UK in practical issues derived from the existing South Atlantic situation, but “under the correct juridical safeguard and with the main objective of creating the proper framework so that both sides can resume negotiations regarding the heart of the matter”.

Finally there’s a veiled criticism of the United Nations following on President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner argument that there can’t be a double standard in international relations by which the least powerful States are demanded to comply with international obligations that the most powerful simply refuse to abide.

“Those of us who subscribed the United Nations charter as peace loving countries, we did so to leave behind the logics of power that has only led to conflict and confrontation. We did so because we trusted in the rule of the law, international law and in the United Nations as guarantee of peace and security for the whole world”, concludes Timerman.