MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands regret Timerman attitude and calls on Argentina “to respect our rights”

Timerman tells Hague he is interested in ‘bilateral talks’ and “certainly not supervised by Malvinas settlers”.

The Falkland Islands government said on Friday it deeply regrets that Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman refused to meet with lawmakers from the Islands and Foreign Secretary William Hague, next week when he travels to London.

“Sadly this refusal comes as no surprise to us, as this is not the first time our attempts at dialogue have been ignored” said a release from the Falklands’ legislative assembly, adding that “it appears the Argentine government is afraid to hear from the Falkland Islanders themselves”.

“All we ask is that our rights be respected and that we be left in peace to choose our own future and to develop our country for our children and generations to come”, adds the release in direct reference to the Falklands referendum next March which has strongly disturbed the government of President Cristina Fernandez.

Earlier this week the Argentine embassy in London announced that Foreign Minister Timerman would be travelling to London for a two-day event related to the Malvinas Islands, involving “18 European personalities” that sponsor a resumption of discussions on the Falklands long standing sovereignty dispute between Argentina and the UK.

Taking advantage of the trip, Minister Timerman requested an interview with Foreign Secretary Hague who said he was looking forward to the meeting but also cautioned that if Falklands’ issues were to be addressed, representatives from the Islands elected government would have to be present.

Anyhow and before hand Hague also stated that there would be no Falklands’ sovereignty discussions.

The Argentine government rejected the presence of Falklands’ representatives in the meeting and Timerman regretted the whole situation since he was interested in ‘bilateral talks’ and “certainly not supervised by Malvinas settlers”.

Likewise in a letter addressed to Hague and made public, Timerman tells Hague “it is not necessary for you to keep attempting to make appointments during my coming visit to London, leave that for our very efficient embassy”.

In its Friday reply to the exchange between Timerman and Hague, the Falklands government recalls that in June 2012 at the United Nations in New York President Cristina Fernandez was offered a letter asking her to meet with Assembly Members “to hear their views and to discuss matters of common interest. Regrettably, she refused to accept it”.

The letter was subsequently delivered to the Argentine Government “however we have never received a response”.

The Falklands’ government reiterates that the purpose of the meetings was/is to address various matters of mutual interest that could be discussed, for example the conservation of fish stocks in the waters of the South West Atlantic.

Furthermore “the Falklands Government’s desire for normal neighbourly relations is nothing new but this most recent refusal of the Argentine Government to recognise our people or our rights once again demonstrates how one sided this desire is”.

The government then insists that “we were looking forward to a full and frank exchange of views, and would have taken the opportunity to give Mr Timerman some very direct messages on the unacceptability of Argentina’s actions against the Falkland Islands in recent years. All we ask is that our rights be respected and that we be left in peace to choose our own future and to develop our country for our children and generations to come. It appears that the Government of Argentina is afraid to hear this from the Falkland Islanders themselves”.

The full release follows:

Argentine Foreign Secretary refuses to meet with UK Foreign Secretary William Hague and Falklands Assembly Members

The Falkland Islands Government deeply regrets that the Argentine Foreign Secretary Hector Timerman yesterday refused the opportunity to meet with the United Kingdom Foreign Secretary and Members of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly in London next week.

Sadly this refusal comes as no surprise to us, as this is not the first time our attempts at dialogue have been ignored.

In June 2012 at the United Nations in New York President Fernandez de Kirchner was offered a letter asking her to meet with Assembly Members to hear their views and to discuss matters of common interest. Regrettably, she refused to accept it. The letter was subsequently delivered to the Argentine Government, however we have never received a response.

There are various matters of mutual interest that could be discussed, for example the conservation of fish stocks in the waters of the South West Atlantic. The Falkland Islands Government’s desire for normal neighbourly relations is nothing new but this most recent refusal of the Argentine Government to recognise our people or our rights once again demonstrates how one sided this desire is.

We were looking forward to a full and frank exchange of views, and would have taken the opportunity to give Mr Timerman some very direct messages on the unacceptability of Argentina’s actions against the Falkland Islands in recent years. All we ask is that our rights be respected and that we be left in peace to choose our own future and to develop our country for our children and generations to come. It appears that the Government of Argentina is afraid to hear this from the Falkland Islanders themselves.

Singed by The Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands.