MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Malvinas: Chile reiterates support for Argentina's claim through dialogue

Minister Muñoz and Filmus at the meeting in which bilateral relations were underlined

Foreign minister Heraldo Muñoz reiterated on Wednesday Chile's support for Argentina sovereign rights over the Falkland Islands, Georgia and South Sandwich Islands during a meeting with visiting Daniel Filmus, head of Argentina's desk relative to Malvinas and other South Atlantic Islands affairs.

 In an official release from the Foreign Affairs ministry, Muñoz stated the pleasure of having received former senator Filmus at his office, and to whom he reiterated “Chile's support for Argentina's sovereign rights over the Malvinas, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands and adjoining maritime spaces”.

Muñoz added that this is the traditional position of Chile and president Michelle Bachelet, which “Chile has had the satisfaction of supporting at the United Nations Decolonization Committee, which calls for negotiations between Argentina and the United Kingdom”.

Filmus said Argentina was grateful to Chile for its support in 'the Malvinas sovereignty cause' and underlined the role played by Chile “in all those inter-government forums where the dispute is discussed, supporting the pivotal argument that the Argentine democracy has displayed since 1983, and which is backed by the Chilean democracy, and that is dialogue”.

“We do not conceive any other way of recovering the Islands which is not through diplomacy”, affirmed Filmus.

Both officials also underlined the sustained bilateral integration of the two countries and which will have a new chapter on 29 August when the VI Binational meeting of Argentine and Chilean ministers takes place in Buenos Aires.