MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Argentina and UK agree on the need to identify areas of cooperation in the South Atlantic
Argentina and UK agreed to disagree on the Falklands/Malvinas question, but coincided that the issue should not be an obstacle for the development of a wider positive agenda. Furthermore the two countries agreed on the need to identify possible areas of cooperation in the South Atlantic, such as exploitation of natural resources, and connectivity between the continent and the Islands. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesIf the Argentine govt. keep to the agenda of cooperation and show themselves to be good neighbours then anything is possible in years hence. However, the Falkland islanders will be looking VERY closely to see if this is just a ruse to sneak in by the back door. Only time will tell if the wounds can be healed.
May 13th, 2016 - 09:35 am - Link - Report abuse 0Sorry folks- this is the usual bullshit lies from Argentina - it is NOT actually what was said as regards the Islands - just the twisted version of it dressed up to make it sound good for 43 million Argentines.
May 13th, 2016 - 09:53 am - Link - Report abuse 0What the UK did say was as far as UK was and is concerned- the 2013 Referendum made out position quite clear and UK stands by it.
What the FI Govt said and no doubt was passed to to Malcorra by the UK Govt was that FO Govt stands ready and willing to talk with Argentina- ie Arg talks to FIG across the table -with UK there as well obviously - about areas of mutual concern and interest.
@2
May 13th, 2016 - 10:45 am - Link - Report abuse 0How do you know what was said?
Has there been a foreign office press statement that contradicts the Argentine statement?
@3. Do you think the UK government wouldn't immediately tell the Falklands government what happened? How long does it take for the information to circulate through a small population? Why is it always the argies that say what happened? Why should they be believed?
May 13th, 2016 - 12:50 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Taken with pinch of salt?
May 13th, 2016 - 01:02 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@4 I'm just saying there is no statement from our side that contradicts the Argie press release. The only report on this meeting I could find is from AP. It reports Hammond reaffirmed the UK commitment to the FI and goes on to say:
May 13th, 2016 - 01:09 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“I was pleased to meet foreign minister Malcorra and we had a warm, wide-ranging discussion. During their meeting at Davos earlier this year, the Prime Minister and President Macri set out an aspiration to embark on a new phase of relations between our two countries.”
“Foreign Minister Malcorra and I discussed how to take this forward by developing a strong relationship based upon areas of mutual interest, such as increased trade links, combating drugs, crime and corruption, and closer co-operation on science and technology.”
No contradiction there. Both sides seem to be saying, we agree to disagree on the FIs but we are going to work closely on other bilateral issues.
3 Merry Englander- of course both sides agreed they need to get bilateral UK-Arg business off the ground again. Good idea - it was stuffed for years by the K. Govt who refused repeatedly discussions with UK on anything- unles FI and in particular FI Sov, was on the agenda - but at the same time refusing to sit at any meeting where members of FI Govt were present!
May 13th, 2016 - 02:41 pm - Link - Report abuse 0But what Arg and UK did not do in these talks was agree to talk about FI issues in particular - No doubt UK passed on to Arg the FI offer of discussions on possible items of mutual benefit in the region - and no more.
UK has always made that point very clear to Arg - these are areas when FI is directly involved. Arg traditionally refuses to accept that as they cannot bear the concept of accepting that we exist - hence their press release being slanted the way it was.
@6
May 13th, 2016 - 04:34 pm - Link - Report abuse 0From my point of view Argentina will work together with Europe (and the UK) in certain areas such as the defense of western life concepts and freedom now under threat due to muslim religious concepts. Argentina must provide the UK and Europe 100% of its political, diplomatic, moral, and even militar if needed, support. But all of this based on the concept that the UK is an european country.
Islanders have their rights that must be respected but the sovereignty issue over the islands must be solved between both countries, Argentina and the UK.
There are much more british citizens freely living in Argentina than islanders and none of them have ever been forced to change thier nacionality or loyalty to the Queen. Islanders will be able to keep on being british if there is a political change with the current status of the Islands.
@8
May 13th, 2016 - 07:51 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The problem is solved. (You do not have to like it however)
Argentina needs to stop letting ancient disputes sour its relations with GB, Chile or anyone else. The Western life freedoms you mention stem from “self determination” - America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, Pakistan etc etc all have “self determination” and we wouldn't have it any other way.
GB is, was and always will be European, not necessarily part of the EU project though.
Argentina is not obliged to UK in any way - support us where you wish, oppose us where you do not. We trusted you once, there may come a time when we are able to again.......who knows what the future holds ?
#8
May 13th, 2016 - 08:05 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Yes but the main difference IS that although they could keep their nationality, they would THEN become subject to Argentine rule and laws. In other words they would become guests and subject to the “whims” of Argentine political life. Not a very pleasant thought.
Again, this presupposes that the islands ARE Argentinian sovereign territory.
We believe otherwise.
Areas of possible cooperation?
May 14th, 2016 - 05:52 am - Link - Report abuse 0Take out all the areas of dispute - Falklands, Sth Georgia, Sth Sandwich Islands, Sth Shetlands, Sth Orkneys, Graham Land, Queen Elizabeth land etc, etc and there's not a lot of area left LOL
@8. The important thing is for argies and argieland to come to grips with and acceptance of reality. The current attitude is juvenile. At the risk of re-hashing long time arguments, there is nothing in the history that would indicate that argieland has any right to even contemplate a claim to the Islands. The Islands were discovered by Britain, the French never made any claim, the Spanish only bought the French settlement, when the Spanish tried to assert sovereignty over all the Islands, Britain responded and was even prepared to go to war. Lack of occupation for a period does not negate sovereignty. Argieland wasn't even in close proximity to the Islands when it trespassed and attempted to assert a claim by subterfuge. Argieland recognised the weakness of its position when it vacated the Islands without violence, signed a treaty and then didn't mention the subject again for decades. The current “claim” only stems from Peron's populist policies and nazi-inspired greed. It is fuelled by the education system and more populist actions.
May 14th, 2016 - 08:08 am - Link - Report abuse 0Argies might be best served if they were to “forget” that the Islands even exist. After all, if the UK were to adopt a similar attitude, it could reasonably lay claim to half the world. Perhaps you'd like to contemplate an expanding UK with all the resources of North America. It would be no contest, would it?
@8 pgerman
May 14th, 2016 - 08:48 am - Link - Report abuse 0¡caca de toro!
A friend has just returned from a cruise to the southern cone of South America. The vessel called at Montevideo, the Falklands, Ushuaia, and ports in Chile and Perú.
May 14th, 2016 - 08:56 am - Link - Report abuse 0She was utterly disgusted by the reception they received in Ushuaia - the usual malvinista protests and aggressive behaviour by the locals. What a load of wankers! The rest of the trip was marvellous and she intends to return giving Argentina a total miss!
@3 According to the FCO release this was the FO statement in regards to what was said.
May 14th, 2016 - 11:32 am - Link - Report abuse 0....The release also points out that the Foreign Secretary reiterated that the UK’s position on the Falkland Islands remained unchanged, and that “the 2013 referendum gave a confirmation of the Islanders’ wish to remain a UK Overseas Territory”.
So, Argentina are playing it down for home consumption. It was quite clearly stated that the UK FO stance is one of 'Self Determination' no other option, it is up to the Islanders to decide their future. Argentina reports this as a 'disagreement on the issue', as if it is a 50/50 choice. Unfortunately, what Argentina fails to grasp is that they have no say over the Falklands, the Islanders and the UK hold all the cards.
@8
May 14th, 2016 - 01:36 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“the sovereignty issue over the islands must be solved between both countries, Argentina and the UK. ”
'With regards to the interests of the population'
It is not in the interests of the population to become part of Argentina, democratically, financially and with the loss of increasing autonomy they possess now.
No Argentine or their supporters have ever defined what they consider the interests of the Islanders to be, therefore it is fair to assume they haven't a clue what they are even though they are obvious to anyone with half a brain.
The oft quoted and defunct 2065, the Argentine hymn sheet for the Malvinas Myth, does not mention that the interests of UK and Argentina are respected , or that negotiations can be held ignoring the Islanders interests.
The sovereignty dispute cannot be resolved without regarding the interests of the people born on the Islands.
So unless out of the closet emerge over 3000 Argentines born on the Falkland Islands you haven't much of a chance.
Opinions , opinions,
May 14th, 2016 - 06:55 pm - Link - Report abuse 0this is mine for what it is worth,
1, if we stay in, their wont be a united kingdom to talk or agree anything in the years tom come,
2, Europe will decide,
3, has the European union have any interest in a BOT,
4. would the EU try to use or intimidate the islands in a south American treaty, I e , wold the EU trade the Falkland's as a bargaining chip to get their own way
5, surely in all common sense, Argentina would have voluntary stopped or at least be forced to stop as part of any deals=an end to the threats harassment and bullying of the Falkland's islands,
if they wont [ now] why the hell should they, once they receive any money , help or treaties,
6,
Argentina will never give up on its false claim as long as others [ Britain] tries to ignore the problem and gives them things,
giving the impression, no matter how it may look to us= that we somehow agree in some way the claim may or may not be valid but unacceptable at this moment in time,
until Argentina grow up and accepts that the British Falkland's are NOT Thiers and never will be without the people consent, then their can be NO going forward,
the more you give a greedy fox, the more it wants,
I then think the answer should be NO NO and NO again until Argentina stops all the threats and bullying.
just my humble opinion.
From today's Clarin
May 14th, 2016 - 08:16 pm - Link - Report abuse 0http://www.clarin.com/politica/kelpers-dispuestos-cooperar-Argentina-manera_0_1576042478.html
The islanders have spoken!
More utter bullshit.
May 15th, 2016 - 06:41 pm - Link - Report abuse 0'Devious' Argentina could claim Falklands if Britain quits EU
ARGENTINA is poised to CLAIM ownership of the Falklands if Britain unshackles its chains from the European Union
http://www.express.co.uk/news/world/670463/Falklands-Islands-Britain-EU-referendum-Brexit-Lisbon-Treaty
Trust in Britain and leave,
rather than stay and a European led falklands future.
We want good relations with Argentina. EU is irrelevant.
May 17th, 2016 - 05:34 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Now Kirchner has left the scene, a sensible relationship, which doesn't ignore Falkland Islanders wishes, is possible.
About time.
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