MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina blasts EU and describes Trade spokesperson statements as “false”

Minister Timerman is waiting for a phone call from Catherine Ashton

Argentina categorically rejected ‘false’ statements from the EU Trade spokesperson relative to a clarification request to Argentina, allegedly not replied, involving relations of the UK with Buenos Aires and also questioned the EU ‘silence’ on the Malvinas sovereignty question.

In a particularly strong communiqué released on Thursday by the Foreign Affairs ministry, Argentina states that it has tried to present the difficulties of relations with the UK for which it has been in contact with EU officials on different opportunities.

“Last Monday Minister Hector Timerman contacted Catherine Ashton responsible for EU International and Security Affairs, who because being overseas, said she would get back on her return”, says the release.

Earlier in the day the EU Trade spokesperson John Clancy called on Argentina to respect international trade commitments following on reports in the Buenos Aires media of a boycott on imports originating in the UK.

“We would like Argentina to explain and clarify what is happening and gives guarantees that it is going to completely respect its international commitments” said Clancy adding that “the EU through its head of delegation in Buenos Aires” has tried to obtain a ‘clarification’ following the boycott reports on goods from the EU and particularly the UK.

“What Mr. Clancy states, that the EU representative in Argentina has tried to ‘clarify’ the situation is false, since last Friday, Deputy Foreign Affairs minister Ambassador Eduardo Zuain, called three times to the EU delegate with no reply to date”.

On Tuesday the Secretary of International Economic Relations, Ambassador Cecilia Nahón talked with Joao Aguiar Machado, EU Trade Deputy Director General and told him that Argentina is very much interested in relations with the UK, and underlined “her surprise at the absence of reply from the EU delegate in Buenos Aires”.

The Trade Deputy Director-General was also informed of the contact between Minister Timerman and Ms Ashton head of EU diplomacy, says the release.

Further on Argentina expresses ‘surprise’ at the fact that EU authorities request different countries from other regions to resolve their conflicts peacefully and call for a dialogue to that effect, “but remains silent on the conduct of one of its members, the UK which ignores International Law norms expressed by a vast majority of the community of nations”, calling for Falklands/Malvinas sovereignty discussions.

UK must recall that the current UN General Assembly resolution calling for a dialogue to solve the Falklands/Malvinas sovereignty question had the affirmative vote from 13 of the current EU members, with an only rejection, precisely the UK.

Nevertheless Argentina sees as an ‘interesting signal’ the fact the UK has decided to take the issue of bilateral relations with Argentina to the European Union.

“Minister Timerman has talked with Unasur Secretary General Maria Ema Mejia to tell her that Argentina would like that organization to pair with the EU, in representation of all South American countries, so that the UK complies with UN resolutions”.