MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Red Cross completes Phase 1 of mission to identify Argentine soldiers in Darwin cemetery
The purpose of Phase 1 was to make the administrative and logistical arrangements for Phases 2 and 3, later in the year, said ICRC representative Laurent Corbaz 
Phase 2 entails taking samples of the 123 unidentified soldiers, and Phase 3 involves sending the samples to a laboratory for analysis and matching families’ DNA Laurent Corbaz of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said on leaving the Falklands that Phase 1 of the mission to identify Argentine soldiers buried at the Darwin Cemetery had taken place during the week spent in the Islands with his team mate Patrick Sherry.
The purpose of Phase 1 was to make the administrative and logistical arrangements for Phases 2 and 3, later in the year.
Phase 2 will entail taking samples of the 123 unidentified soldiers while Phase 3 will involve sending the samples to a laboratory for analysis and matching with families’ DNA samples.
It is expected all the analysis and the final reports will be completed by the end of 2017. Mr. Corbaz said no discussions had taken place about any future courses of action.
Chair of the Legislative Assembly, Dr Barry Elsby MLA anticipating the visit said: “we appreciate the ICRC taking the time to prepare for the DNA analysis work later in the year. This is a further opportunity for the ICRC to plan for the challenges they will face in the Falklands winter.”
He added: “Members are supportive of this humanitarian approach to identifying the unknown soldiers. We hope that all soldiers are identified and the families are able to think of their future.”
The DNA identification of Argentine combatants remains in Darwin was agreed and included in the September Argentina/UK joint statement as part of a major effort to improve bilateral relations. Negotiations on the task have been ongoing with decisive participation of Falklands representatives as part of the British delegation (PN).
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Read all commentsWell said Barry Elsby MLA It will stop the Argies continuing to talk about it.
Feb 16th, 2017 - 10:33 am +1Once the unknown are identified, that is one less thing for the Argentines to whine about.
Feb 16th, 2017 - 12:00 pm 0Shows how weak their claim is when they use dead bodies to try to advance it.
And totally disrespectful to their guys that died, who were put in harm's way, whilst their spineless military bosses stayed 1000 miles away from the action getting pissed, instead of fighting on the Islands.
(Margaret Thatcher to Al Haig),
Thatcher: What is the difference between talking to us and the Argentines?
Haig:They are usually drunk, and you are sober.
Personally feel we should treat this matter with utmost respect, for those who gave their life, irrespectively of whose side they were on., which totally irelevant. They died............end of story!!
Feb 16th, 2017 - 04:29 pm 0Commenting for this story is now closed.
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