MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“Malvinas dialogue” demands Argentine Patagonia governor in Wales

Governor Buzzi next to PM Carwyn Jones and guests during the opening of the Chubut stand

Underlining the close links between Wales and Argentine Patagonia, where many Welsh immigrants settled for the first time 150 years ago, Chubut governor Martin Buzzi called on the British government “to open a dialogue on the Malvinas Islands”.

 Governor Buzzi with a numerous delegation from Chubut plus Argentine ambassador Alicia Castro attended the official opening of the Eisteddfod festival in Carmarthenshire, and met among other Welsh authorities with First Minister Carwyn Jones.

“As Eisteddfod is an expression of plural voices in dialogue even in song, despite different opinions we need to start another dialogue that is missing, that is dialogue on the Malvinas Islands” said Buzzi during the opening of the Chubut province stand at the festival and addressing Welsh authorities and guests.

“We need to find a place where we can understand each other, where we can dialogue what Malvinas means, which is a cause that Argentines feel is very much ours. We need to generate other spaces beyond the UN, or G-24 to talk and discuss openly on the Malvinas issue”, added Buzzi.

“To dialogue we need respect and that respect has been shown and proved in the last 150 years of Welsh history in Argentina. In no other part of the world British citizens have been so well received or has their culture been so respected” said Buzzi.

He added that “language, songs from Wales are still alive in Chubut, in our own Eisteddfod, absolutely all Welsh descendents and those of us who are not, when that festival is on we stop so that those that can sing can join the festival and the crowds”.

“We want more dialogue and exchange, we want to deepen friendship links and we want to invite you all to our celebrations and festivities of 2015, when the 150th anniversary of the arrival of Welsh settlers to Patagonia”, he concluded.

Argentine ambassador Alicia Castro also had something to say.

“I think above all that this is a perfect example of the opportunities, respect and friendship traditionally provided by Argentina not only to all immigrants that come from anywhere in the world, but more specifically to the British and British descendents”, said Ambassador Castro, talking about the Welsh links with Patagonia and the preparations for next year's joint celebrations.

“It's an example that contrasts and refutes the propaganda from some sectors of Malvinas Islands residents that claim there is a hostile attitude from Argentina, which obviously is completely false”, she insisted.

Claudio Dalco, Chubut Culture secretary underlined the significance of the presence of First Minister Jones, governor Buzzi, ambassador Castro, the provincial delegation and representatives from the Welsh community in Chubut during the opening for the first time of a Chubut Province stand at Eisteddfod.

“It was a wonderful full day with the Memorandum of Undestanding signed with the First Minister, and the chance to show the Welsh heart in Chubut none less that at Wales Eisteddfod ” said Dalco.

Finally he mentioned the presence of many Chubut residents who are attending the festival, “not as part of the official delegation, but who are regulars to the event where all the culture of Wales converges, and here we are sharing and supporting the path that leads us to the 150 anniversary celebrations next year in Chubut”.