MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

New Zealanders “misinformed” about Malvinas war says Argentine ambassador

Ambassador Escalona: ”I would like to imagine we would resume negotiations”

New Zealanders have been misinformed about the battle for the Falkland Islands between Great Britain and Argentina in 1982, the South American country's ambassador to New Zealand has told an audience in Palmerston North.

“In New Zealand, we find that mainly what the people read in the media is dispatched from news agencies and stories from the United Kingdom papers” Ambassador Fernando Escalona said, according to reports in the Kiwi media.

Speaking at a public meeting in the city this week, Mr Escalona outlined the history of the conflict and what his country thought of the situation.

The Falklands/Malvinas Islands were originally in the hands of the Spanish, before being given to Argentina. In the 1830s they were taken over by the British and have been in their hands since.

Mr Escalona said various United Nations resolutions had been put in place, asking the United Kingdom and Argentina to come to an agreement over who controls the Islands, but little ground has been made.

When asked by a person in the audience where things would be in 10 years time, Mr Escalona was diplomatic. “I would like to imagine we would resume negotiations.”

But the two sides had not talked about the Islands' sovereignty, which had made things difficult, he said.

“We are open to negotiation, but it's very difficult without delegates to see what would be a possible solution.

”I would like to be optimistic, but we have the reality.“

Another audience member asked Mr Escalona what Argentina had offered the United Kingdom in return for sovereignty of the Islands.

”There has to be discussions, there are many, many different options and they have to be explored” said the Argentine ambassador.