Britain has denied sending a nuclear-armed submarine to the South Atlantic amid rising tensions with Argentina over the Falklands and accused Argentina of “rattling cages in any way they can”.
UK Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg dismissed the claims as baseless insinuations in a clash with the Argentine Foreign minister at the international Nuclear Security Summit in Seoul, South Korea.
The latest spat erupted as British officials were braced for intensifying diplomatic pressure from Buenos Aires in the run-up to the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War.
It was reported last month that the UK had dispatched a nuclear-powered but conventionally-armed Trafalgar class submarine to the region - a deployment the UK Ministry of Defense has refused to confirm or deny.
However, it led to Argentine foreign minister Hector Timerman claiming at the United Nations that Britain had in fact sent a nuclear-armed Vanguard class submarine in violation of the Treaty of Tlatelolco, which guarantees Latin America as a nuclear weapons-free zone.
Despite British denials, officials said Timerman had repeated the allegation at a meeting in Seoul, referring to an extra-regional power which had deployed a submarine capable of carrying nuclear weapons in the South Atlantic.
Mr Clegg, who is leading the British delegation at the summit, strongly rejected the claim.
These are unfounded, baseless insinuations, he said.
As I'm sure our colleague from Argentina knows, the United Kingdom ratified the protocols to the treaty in 1969 ... which guarantees a nuclear weapons-free zone covering Latin America and the Caribbean.
We have respected those obligations since 1969 and we will continue to do so.
“Argentina seems keen to rattle cages in any way they can, he added.
Last month, Argentina complained to the United Nations over what it called Britain's militarization of the South Atlantic after London announced plans to dispatch a Navy destroyer to the area and it criticised the posting of Prince William to the Falklands as a military search-and-rescue pilot. The Prince ended his routine SAR tour and is back in the UK.
Top Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesMr Clegg say:
Mar 28th, 2012 - 12:45 am 0 .. the United Kingdom ratified the protocols to the treaty in 1969 ... which guarantees a nuclear weapons-free zone covering Latin America and the Caribbean.
”We have respected those obligations since 1969 and we will continue to do so.“
Can LatAm trust in british word ?
They are honorbly people ?
France President Mitterrand have something to say.....
..With her four nuclear submarines in the south Atlantic, she's threatening to unleash an atomic weapon against Argentina..
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2005/nov/22/books.france
@1 they don't need to have submarines there to launch nukes if they needed to. don't be so stupid.
Mar 28th, 2012 - 01:00 am 0@ 1 Nick Clegg says two words, and now you are out of control!
Mar 28th, 2012 - 01:10 am 0That's brilliant :)
Un poquito de dignidad maricona, si kerés llorar llorá jajaja
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