MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Malvinas OAS statement: Latam support Argentine position; Canada against and US abstains

Timerman addressing the OAS assembly in Antigua

Latinamerican countries expressed on Thursday their full support for Argentina’s sovereignty claim over the Falklands/Malvinas, during the 43 annual assembly of the Organization of American States taking place in Guatemala. Only Canada was against the OAS final declaration while the United States did not take position on the matter.

Making the point for Argentina Foreign minister Hector Timerman said that the “Islands are illegally occupied” the result of an anachronic dispute over the Malvinas, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands and its adjoining maritime spaces and insisted on the illegitimacy of the Falklands’ March referendum.

Timerman said that several international forums have expressed support for Argentina’s claim over the South Atlantic Islands among which, Celac, Community of Latinamerican and Caribbean States, Mercosur, Unasur as well as others in Asia, Africa and Arab countries, while United Nations since almost four decades, defines the Malvinas situation “as a violation of the territorial integrity of Argentina”.

The Latinamerican countries called on the United Kingdom to resume the dialogue to resolve the dispute over the Islands.

“The Malvinas question is a territorial integrity issue and not a self determination issue. It’s up to London, I’m already at the table waiting to begin dialogue”, said Timerman stating that “the free world is looking: each one must assume its responsibility”.

“I once again call on the UK to comply with international law obligations” said Timerman who immediately rejected the March referendum which “was mounted so a bunch of British citizens could say that the territory militarily occupied is recognized by the world as British”.

Timerman again affirmed that the Malvinas question is a territorial integrity issue not one of self determination.

Brazilian Foreign minister Antonio Patriota said his country supported Argentina’s rights in the dispute over the Malvinas and claimed that the UK has consistently rejected any negotiation with Argentina.

Maria Angel Holguín from Colombia said that Bogotá acknowledges “the legitimate right of Argentina over the Malvinas Islands dispute and supports the draft declaration on the issue”.

However the Canadian representative speaking for Foreign minister Diane Ablonczy, said that “only the inhabitants of the Falkland Islands can decide on their future, and for that reason we don’t support the declaration as it has been drafted”.

Canada takes distance from the text “and requests that our position be stamped in the minutes of the meeting”

Likewise Kate Smith head of the Americas Desk at the Foreign Office who attended the OAS assembly as an observer said that the message from the Falklands’ referendum last March was very clear in promoting the rights of the Islanders.

“We want OAS country-members to respect that decision. Another important element is that the OAS also recognizes the right of the Islanders to determine their own economic future, to become part of the global economy and to cooperate in every possible way with its Latinamerican neighbours”, said Ms Smith.

In the March referendum, organized by the Islanders following US standards and with international observers including from several Latam countries, there was an overwhelming turnout and an almost unanimous vote in favour of the Falklands remaining as an Overseas Territory.