Malvinas Secretariat officially inaugurated on Monday with Filmus as head

Sunday, January 5th 2014 - 14:48 UTC

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The former Senator who lost his re-election bid in October. Filmus was also chairman of the Foreign Affairs committee

Argentine former senator Daniel Filmus on Monday afternoon will be inaugurated as head of the newly created Secretariat of Malvinas, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands and adjoining maritime spaces in the South Atlantic Affairs, which will press forward with Argentine claims over those territories.

The official who was unsuccessful in his last October re-election bid as Senator for Buenos Aires City reaffirmed the outlines of the policy pursued by the administration of President Cristina Fernandez regarding the Falklands/Malvinas Islands.

“The government has included Malvinas among its most important goals and objectives for 2014 and the goal is directly addressed in the Foreign Ministry's paper on 'Strengthening the diplomatic claim of Argentine sovereignty of the Malvinas islands'”, said Filmus on 3 January, which under the Argentine calendar marked the 181th anniversary of the 'British usurpation of our Malvinas Islands”.

Filmus anticipated that he would commit his best efforts so UK Prime Minister David Cameron’s administration complies with UN resolution 2065, which demands both states hold a bilateral dialogue over the Islands.

“There is increasing international consensus that colonialism cannot exist in the 21st century and that bilateral negotiations should be launched,” Filmus said, explaining that the Argentine position was backed by African and Asian countries last year, in addition to South American nations.

“The decision from President Cristina Fernandez to create a Malvinas affairs Secretariat is a reaffirmation of the strong commitment with the issue not only from the Argentines but also from all the peoples who combat for the end of colonialism and respect for the territorial integrity of independent nations”, said Filmus.

The objectives of the new Secretariat include: execution of bilateral actions; support for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in bilateral negotiations; design of strategies and coordination of actions with all countries for the defense of Argentine rights and interests as well as informing to the world on Argentine rights.

Finally Javier Figueroa who was head of the Malvinas and South Atlantic Desk will become Under Secretary of the new Malvinas Secretariat.