MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Defence minister denies Argentina is “obstructing” the Falklands economy
Arturo Puricelli admits neighbouring countries solidarity with Argentina Defence minister Arturo Puricelli denied Thursday that Argentina was obstructing the economy of the Malvinas Islands as claimed by Falklands’ governor Nigel Haywood in his state of the nation speech to the elected Legislative Assembly of the Islands.
The complaints from the United Kingdom “are born our of the geographic distance between the usurpers and the Islands, a fact which ratifies Argentine rights over the South Atlantic archipelago” said Puricelli.
Addressing on Wednesday the elected members of the Legislative Assembly, Governor Haywood said that the Falklands challenges “include dealing with attempts by the Government of Argentina to impede certain sectors of our economy”, but he added “the Falklands government is confident that such attempts will not succeed”.
Puricelli made the remarks following the inauguration in Buenos Aires of Unasur Centre for Defence Strategic Studies, and insisted that Argentina is not strangling the Falklands economy.
“Yes, we have the solidarity from our brother neighbours, Uruguay and Brazil who do not allow British vessels en route to Malvinas to call in their ports”, said Puricelli.
At the beginning of 2010 the Argentine government established that all vessels wanting to sail between Argentine ports and the South Atlantic Islands or cross Argentine jurisdictional waters en route to Malvinas must previously request authorization from Argentine authorities.
The administration of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has also strongly condemned exploration operations for hydrocarbons in Falklands waters based on licences awarded by the Islands government.
The administration of Cristina Fernandez and previously from her deceased husband Nestor Kirchner has made it official Argentine policy to claim sovereignty over the Falklands in every possible world forum.
Similarly the Argentine government is implementing a strategy to isolate the Islands by cutting all scientific links regarding common fisheries, limiting charter flights and making sea access ever more complicated, plus threatening all those companies involved in oil exploration or trade with the Falklands and with interests in Argentina.
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Read all comments“ ... The complaints from the United Kingdom “are born our of the geographic distance between the usurpers and the Islands, a fact which ratifies Argentine rights over the South Atlantic archipelago” said Puricelli. ...”
May 27th, 2011 - 09:41 am 0There you go ..... their argument comes down the geography .... even though they know that such an argument has no substance in international law and that they would lose if they based an ICJ case on 'distance'.
“ ... by cutting all scientific links regarding common fisheries, limiting charter flights and making sea access ever more complicated, plus threatening all those companies involved in oil exploration or trade with the Falklands and with interests in Argentina....”
Fisheries .... ?? Well the squid seem to be all inside the Falklands EEZ !
Oil exploration ! Well it's obvious that the oil companies have been well and truly put off. Notice that BP has pulled out of Argentina LOL
What's that I hear? Screams of anguish from starving islanders? Oh no. It's the screams of frustration from Argies who thought that a trade war would get them what they've never had .... :-)
“Argentina is not strangling the Falklands economy.” well... he got that bit right....
May 27th, 2011 - 09:41 am 0Pass the popcorn... I'll send out for pizza...
“Defence minister denies Argentina is “obstructing” the Falklands economy”
May 27th, 2011 - 10:26 am 0He want's to watch himself, publicly stating that they're not doing their jobs properly like that....
“ ... The complaints from the United Kingdom “are born our of the geographic distance between the usurpers and the Islands, a fact which ratifies Argentine rights over the South Atlantic archipelago” said Puricelli. ...”
He's got a point there mind, I've always thought how unfair it is on someone breaking into a car when the cars owner spots them from the other side of the carpark and get's arsey with them, after all the thief is closer to the car...surely that confers ownership to him?
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