MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK “feeling uneasy” with Argentine diplomatic campaign to recover the Malvinas

Minister Puricelli: century XXI, the century of Malvinas recovery by Argentina

Argentine Defence minister Arturo Puricelli rejected the announced UK plan to create a huge marine protection zone in South Georgia saying the British are feeling “uneasy” because of the Argentine diplomatic work displayed to claim the South Atlantic Islands.

“This century, XXI will most certainly be the century of the Malvinas Islands recovery by Argentina” said Puricelli on Thursday and rejected the marine protection zone project arguing the sole objective of London was to “determine a space of even greater usurpation” in the South Atlantic territories.

“The English are feeling uneasy because the government of President Cristina Fernandez is involved in a major diplomatic task exposing the unjustified usurpation of the Malvinas Islands” by Great Britain.

“We expect the UK to abide the requirements from the international community and the United Nations so as to begin discussions” on how they are going to reintegrate “the Islands usurped since 1833”.

Earlier this week the London media leaked, according to Foreign Office sources that a major marine protection zone would be established with South Georgia as the epicentre and that the government of South Georgia “would be making an official announcement in coming days”.

South Georgia Island is located some 1.300 kilometres south east from the Falkland Islands.

“I believe that the decision to create a sanctuary is only geared to generate a space that under the umbrella of ecology and the conservation of the environment allows the UK to determine an even greater usurpation space”, added Puricelli.

He added that what should be asked to the UK is “whether they are really concerned about the South Atlantic environment and ecology, and more specifically in our Malvinas Islands, which means they should start by ending unilateral hydrocarbons exploration in the bottom of the ocean”

Finally Puricelli forecasted that retaining the usurpation of the Malvinas Islands by the British has no future. Most certainly this century XXI will become the century of the Malvinas Islands’ recovery by Argentina”.