MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK government “regrets Argentina considering withdrawing from yet another agreement”

Former Argentine minister Guido Di Tella who was instrumental for the 14 July 1999 agreement

The UK government regrets that “Argentina is considering withdrawing from yet another agreement with the United Kingdom” said on Thursday a spokesperson for the British embassy in Buenos Aires in reference to Argentina’s statement before the UN to further isolate the Falklands/Malvinas Islands.

On Wednesday addressing the United Nations assembly, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner threatened to review and suspend the Falklands/Malvinas air link with Chile, covered by the 14 July 1999 agreement, unless the UK abides by UN resolutions and begins talks with Argentina on disputed South Atlantic Islands’ sovereignty.

Apparently Argentina is considering withdrawing from yet another agreement with the United Kingdom. The UK continues to believe that there are many opportunities for cooperation with Argentina, but in recent years Argentina has rejected those opportunities”, said the British embassy spokesperson quoted by Noticias Argentinas.

The British embassy was referring to South Atlantic fisheries and oil cooperation agreements dating back to the nineties which Argentina under the Kirchner administrations rejected.

The British embassy insisted that self determination of peoples is paramount and to the very essence of the United Nations and “obviously the United Kingdom is not going to negotiate the Islands sovereignty unless the Islanders so wish”.

“Trying to deny the islanders their right to self-determination is sad. The relationship between the UK and its territories overseas is modern and is based on shared association and values,” and “everyone can choose when and how to continue being a part of it.”

The 14 July 1999 understanding was reached twelve years ago in London by then Argentine Foreign Affairs minister Guido Di Tella, his British peer Robin Cook and Falklands elected Councillors. Under the agreement, 17 years after the end of the Falklands conflict, Argentine citizens could again travel to the Islands with their Argentine passports, while on October 16 of that year, flights between the Islands and the South American continent resumed.

In her speech President Cristina Fernandez said: “I’m referring to the 14 July 1999 understanding when it was agreed to have a two way weekly flight by LAN Chile linking the Malvinas. (UN) resolutions must be complied”.

.“Argentina has repeatedly invited the UK to talk about our sovereignty rights. We are simply asking that the UK complies with just one out of ten UN General Assembly declarations”, pointed out Cristina Fernandez in her speech.

From the Falklands, Member of the Legislative Assembly Jan Cheek said that if Argentina goes through with its threat to suspend the Falklands/ Chile air link it will be an, “act of desperation”.

Interviewed in Friday’s Penguin News edition, MLA Cheek said that “it’s clearly a threat and we are expecting more in the lead up to the Argentine elections”.

She added that “although hypothetical, if she carries out the threat in my opinion it would be a massive own goal, she would be cutting the Islands off from Argentine veterans and their families and from Argentina’s neighbours... I think if she went through with it, it would be an act of desperation… it would also harden Falkland Islanders attitudes towards Argentina”. (See “Argentine threat act of desperation”).