MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK disappointed with Uruguay's identification of Falklands as 'a latent threat'

Ambassador Lyster-Binns “The UK is, and has always been, a good friend of Uruguay. We have strong and warm relations in different areas”

The United Kingdom is disappointed with Uruguay's stance which identifies the Falklands/Malvinas Islands as 'a latent threat' and an element that negatively affects the South Atlantic as “as zone of peace and cooperation”. Ambassador Ben Lyster-Binns said he does not share the statement that the British Overseas Territory of the Falklands are a 'destabilizing element for the region'.

 Uruguay finished drafting last April a National Defense Policy document in which it points out “two situations that must be taken into account: in first place the special situation expressed in the Malvinas Islands, because of the presence of extra-region powers and thus with a negative incidence in the South Atlantic as a zone of peace and cooperation; and in second place, the worsening of possible border conflicts among countries in the region”.

”Both the first situation, as the second, represent latent threats for the country (Uruguay), in the first case because it involves the ocean zone where naturally all communications and maritime activity of the country take place; in the second case because all regional conflict weakens the current integration process, generates arms races contrary to development and threatens the mutual confidence that Unasur has been building among member countries“, reads the official document.

”The United Kingdom is, and has always been, a good friend of Uruguay. We have strong and warm relations in different areas. That is why I am disappointed with the reference at the end of the National Defense Policy document to the UK and the Falklands“, said Ambassador Lyster-Binns.

The British ambassador insisted in underlining that ”we do not share the assessment“ from the Uruguayan ministry of Defense. The Falklands are ”a British Overseas Territory and as such have their own elected government“. The only two roles which fall on the UK are ”foreign affairs and guaranteeing security“.

In March 2013 the Falkland Islands held a referendum in which with a record turnout, an overwhelming majority voted to continue as an Overseas Territory.

The Uruguayan government position is that the Falklands/Malvinas sovereignty belongs to Argentina. Uruguay also sponsored the Mercosur initiative to bar Falklands flagged vessels from operating in Uruguayan waters and ports and only a few weeks ago ordered a lawmaker, from the ruling coalition, to step down from the aircraft that was taking him to the Falklands, on an invitation from the Islands elected Legislative Assembly.

This however did not prevent four other opposition lawmakers from making the trip and spending a week in the Falklands.

Despite the official document and other solidarity measures with Argentina's claim, the Uruguay-British chamber of commerce and the Falklands chamber of commerce have been active in promoting bilateral trade. The Falklands have invited Uruguay businesses and companies to get involved in the development of the Islands oil and gas industry expected to begin production sometime in 2018/19.

A recent public opinion poll contracted by the British embassy in Montevideo also showed that even when a majority of Uruguayans believe the Falklands/Malvinas are Argentine, an overwhelming majority, 80% support closer links with the Islands.

The Uruguayan defense policy document for the period 2014/2030 identifies several threats and obstacles to preserve the country's interests and goals among which: deterioration of the environment; pandemics; organized crime; terrorism; cyber attacks; democratic instability in the region; extra-continental wars; economic crises; the seizure and control of strategic resources and the worsening of regional conflicts, which includes the reference to the Malvinas Islands situation.

”In the South Atlantic it is necessary for the country to have the means and capacity to exercise vigilance and control of Uruguayan jurisdictional waters, as well as secure the maritime communication lines, without leaving out fluvial and lake spaces”, underlines the document.