MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Alicia Castro optimistic Argentina will exert sovereignty over Falklands

Argentine ambassador in London Alicia Castro

The Argentine ambassador in London also accused PM Cameron's government of 'celebrating war' with Thatcher statue.

 “I am optimistic and I think one day Argentina will exercise the sovereignty of the Malvinas Islands,” Argentina's ambassador to the United Kingdom Alicia Castro said Friday in a radio interview with the Buenos Aires-based public broadcaster FM Radio Nacional Rock, during which she also accused London of “celebrating war” as Primer Minister David Cameron's to unveil a statue of late Margaret Thatcher in the disputed Falkland Islands sparked strong condemnation.

“They announced they will erect a statute of Margaret Thatcher in our Malvinas Islands and that they will grant a medal of honour to inhabitants there for their resistance against the Argentine Republic. That is a celebration of war,” Castro said.

On Thursday, President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner urged the UK to resume negotiations over the sovereignty or the resource-rich archipelago saying London should pay attention to this week’s momentum news about US-Cuba political rapprochement and dialogue with Argentina.

“I found Cristina’s reflection very wise when she said that December 17 should be the “Day of People’s Resistance”, because Cuba resisted the blockade and finally met its goal: open diplomatic relations with the United States,” Castro said in statements to the state-owned Radio Nacional Rock Friday.

“Latin America is a region of peace and it is the major value that could be given to a world disrupted by violence,” the ambassador considered affirming the UK has been put in “isolation” in the Malvinas dispute.

“The United Kingdom is isolated: everyone has been making a demand at the UN for more than 50 years over the need to open dialogue over the sovereignty of Malvinas,” Castro pointed out describing London’s position as “overplayed.”

On December 11, Alicia Castro met with Pope Francis in the Vatican and discussed the feud over the islands. “The Holy Father vindicates dialogue between Argentina and the United Kingdom,” she recalled during the interview.