MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Malvinas referendum has left dispute resolution “hostage in London”, claims Timerman

Timerman: Argentina at the negotiating table, ready to follow UN requests for a peaceful resolution

Foreign minister Hector Timerman once again anticipated Argentina’s willingness to overcome the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands sovereignty conflict through dialogue, but unfortunately a resolution of the dispute was ‘hostage in London’ and of UK’s ‘imperial disdain’.

Timerman on Thursday addressed the UN Decolonization Committee in New York saying he had come to urge the UK to comply with the obligation imposed upon it by international law and to address a new British attempt to manipulate a reality that the UN had defined decades ago as a “special and particular” colonial situation.

The UK refusal to engage in dialogue by fallaciously invoking the principle of self-determination was contrary to the obligation incumbent on all UN Member States peacefully to resolve international disputes, and concealed the British military presence in the South Atlantic and its illegitimate appropriation of natural resources.

Timerman said Argentina had enjoyed unanimous support from many forums, including the Organization of American States (OAS), the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) and the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR). African nations had given Argentina their support through the Declaration of Malabo, while the Lima Declaration united the South American and Arab Countries in calls for the United Kingdom to resume negotiations and stop unilaterally exploring and exploiting hydrocarbon resources in the waters surrounding the Malvinas (Falklands).

Meanwhile, the UK sought to present itself as the victim of an attempt at dispossession and had conducted a poll (March referendum organized by the Falklands government) in which Islanders had voted on continuing the colonial situation.

It was a paradox that the UK invoked self-determination against Argentina, he said, when the UN had repeatedly defined the Malvinas (Falklands) question as a violation of Argentina’s territorial integrity, and where self-determination could not be applied as the Islands were not home to a people under alien subjugation, domination and exploitation.

In addition, the UK adherence to the principle of self-determination was not consistent. Among other instances, it had refused to support efforts by the Polynesians to re-inscribe French Polynesia on the list of Non-Self-Governing Territories. On the other hand, Argentina supported all the peoples who came to the UN to stand up to colonial Powers. The UK was attempting to “deceive the world by presenting itself as a champion of self-determination”, he declared.

Timerman claimed the UK showed “imperial disdain” and a lack of respect for the Special Committee’s mandate by not speaking before it and not cooperating with the Secretary-General’s mission of good offices.

President Cristina Fernández 2012 appearance before the Special Committee expressed the significance that Argentina attached to its work and to renewing dialogue.

Argentina was already at the negotiating table, ready to follow UN requests for a peaceful resolution of the dispute. The people of Latin America and the Caribbean, as well as those of Africa and Asia, had expressed themselves many times, he noted, also pointing out that two permanent members of the Security Council, China and the Russian Federation, would again make statements before the Special Committee.

The General Assembly had requested the Secretary-General to resume his mission of good offices between the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom, but a resolution of the dispute was “hostage in London”, he said.

More information: H.E. Mr. Hector Timerman (Argentina) - Media Stakeout

20 Jun 2013 - Informal comments to the media by H.E. Mr. Hector Timerman, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Argentina. (Note English since 13')