MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Malvinas recovery needs of a State policy argues Argentine opposition leader

In the last ten years UK has consolidated its position in the South Atlantic despite Cristina Fernandez, argues Alfonsin

The superficialities and inconsistencies of the last Justicialista governments (Presidents Carlos Menem, Nestor Kirchner and Cristina Fernandez) have facilitated the consolidation of British presence in the South Atlantic and this will continue unless the Argentine political system agrees on a state policy regarding the recovery of the Malvinas Islands.

 The statement belongs to opposition lawmaker Ricardo Alfonsín, son of former president Ricardo Alfonsín (1983/1989) who wrote a column on the Falkland Islands dispute and mercilessly condemns the 'seduction policy' of ex president Menem, who in the nineties tried to please London, the Islanders and convince them to sit at the negotiations table, “we all recall for example the Winnie the pooh bears he sent to Islanders”.

The failure of the seduction policy and the 'carnal relations' with the US during the nineties made the Justicialista governments which followed in 2003 to change course and establish a clear difference.

Unfortunately the change in foreign policy of these governments (Nestor and Cristina Kirchner) seemed more geared to have domestic impact than in its foreign effectiveness, all of which facilitated British actions, argues Alfonsin.

“In the last ten years the British government has continued to pillage fisheries resources in the region, has advanced in the exploration for hydrocarbons in Argentina's continental shelf, has consolidated its military presence, has boosted the economic development of the Islanders who have prospered and increased in number, and have even pushed forward with a wrongly defined referendum. That is to say that in the last ten years London has exercised and exhibited in a presumptuous, insolent and arrogant manner all its colonial capacity”, wrote Alfonsin.

Not that all policies were valueless, some were well inspired but since they were not coordinated, and disconnected from a true State policy, 'they have been incapable to reverse or stop the consolidation and deepening of the colonial power presence over almost three million square kilometers of national territory”.

Alfonsin recalls that the basis and strength of the Argentine position regarding the Malvinas claim continues to be the achievements of the Radical party to which he belongs and consist of the 10 UN resolutions, particularly Resolution 2065 approved during the government of president Arturo Illia (1965) and later when his father was at the Casa Rosada. “These juridical and diplomatic milestones were achieved well before the administrations of Carlos Menem, and Nestor and Cristina Kirchner”.

Likewise in many occasions from the opposition, the Radical party has asked for a State policy, a wide-range dialogue between all the different positions on the best way to address the question of Malvinas sovereignty.

However as in so many other issues, the foreign minister (Hector Timerman) “has iterated a presumptuous and closed attitude putting the country, time and time again, in a situation which has only led to failure after failure”.

After arguing that the creation of a new secretariat dedicated exclusively to the Malvinas issue is but clear evidence of the current foreign policy failure, Alfonsin calls for an open wide dialogue on the issue with all political forces so that there can be a close collaboration with the government and seek the advice of the most qualified diplomatic staff in the ministry of foreign affairs.

Leaving aside frivolous nonsense from Timerman such as “the lion roars but no longer scares” and that very soon he will be travelling to Malvinas Islands to celebrate with champagne, “the recovery of Argentina's territorial integrity will require a consistent State policy that will have to persist during several administrations to achieve the objective of reintegrating the Malvinas to the national territory”.

The column is significant not only because of who wrote it but given the current political situation in Argentina, the ruling Justicialista coalition, although hegemonic in Argentine politics does not face an encouraging future, and whatever happens in 2015, or before, the Radical party, as the main opposition force, will have a bigger say than currently. Alfonsin Jr has a fluid and amicable dialogue with all political forces except with the ultra Kirchnerite militants.