MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands' response to Malcorra's statements of air links to Argentina and the oil industry

”The Falkland Islands Government (FIG) has seen the articles in the media attributed to the Argentine Foreign Minister, Susana Malcorra.

The Falkland Islands Government has acknowledged it is aware of media coverage of Argentine foreign minister Susana Malcorra referred to proposals of possible air links between the Islands and Argentina as well as talks on other areas of interest such as the fishing and hydrocarbons industries.

 Malcorra's statements were done in several interviews with UK and Argentine media in the sidelines of a UN Peacekeeping Defense ministerial meeting held this last week in London.

However the very brief release, under the heading of “FIG's response to Foreign Minister Malcorra's recent media statements”, points out that FIG has been actively working on the business case for flights from third countries in South America.

Likewise the release also underlines that there has been no discussions on dismantling the sanctions regime against the hydrocarbons and fishing industries in the Falklands, as has been requested by the British government.

Finally the release anticipates further information following the visit of Foreign Office minister Sir Alan Duncan to Buenos Aires next week. Sir Alan who is responsible for relationship with Europe and the Americas, will be heading a delegation of some forty UK business leaders to a major Argentine Business and Investment forum, and is expected to hold bilateral talks, allegedly including Falklands issues.

Follows the release from the Falkland Islands Government, under the heading of FIG’s response to Foreign Minister Malcorra’s recent media statements:

”The Falkland Islands Government (FIG) has seen the articles in the media attributed to the Argentine Foreign Minister, Susana Malcorra.

“FIG is actively working on the business case for flights from third countries in South America.

”The UK Government has requested that the Argentine Government dismantles the sanctions regime against the oil and gas and fishing industries in the Falkland Islands but so far there have been no discussions.

“The UK Minister, Sir Alan Duncan will be in Buenos Aires next week and more information will be available after his visit”.