MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Falklands/Darwin cemetery operation: all ready for relatives day-trip, according to Argentina
Black granite tombstones with the names of the 88 identified combatants will replace those reading, “Argentine soldier, only known unto God” 
Argentine Human rights secretary Claudio Avruj will be flying to the Falklands together with British ambassador in Buenos Aires, Mark Kent, reports the press 
Argentine-Armenian businessman and investor Eduardo Eurnekian, will be funding the whole day trip from Ezeiza to MPA and back The trip of the relatives from the now identified 88 Argentine combatants buried at Darwin Cemetery, will be arriving to the Falkland Islands in three aircraft on 26th March at 09;30, and will be leaving by 16:00 hours of the same Monday, according to reports in the Argentine media. The Argentine-Armenian businessman Eduardo Eurnekian, who in 2004 paid for the Argentine Memorial at Darwin, will be financing the operation.
Two McDonnell-Douglas MD83 chartered from Lineas Aereas Andes will be flying two relatives of each of the 88 now identified soldiers' remains, plus doctors, psychologists, priests, members of the Forensic Anthropology team, some Argentine foreign ministry staff and Human Rights Secretary, Claudio Avruj, totaling 240 people.
British ambassador in Argentina, Mark Kent will also be of the party and an invitation has been extended to the former British Army captain Geoffrey Cardozo, who was responsible back in 1982 for the burial of 230 Argentine combatants, including 121 unidentified.
The third aircraft, a Metro 23, specially conditioned will carry the black granite tombstones with the names of the 88 identified combatants, while those reading, “Argentine soldier, only known unto God” will be flown back to Argentina.
The aircraft are scheduled to leave Ezeiza international airport Monday March 26 between 05:30/06:30 and should be landing at MPA at 09:30. From there to the cemetery, and all the logistics surrounding the event, apparently has already been contracted. Reports from Buenos Aires indicate that the trip has been organized by foreign minister Jorge Faurie, the Executive's Strategic Affairs advisor Fulvio Pompeo, while Human rights secretary Avruj is coordinating with the Malvinas Families Committee president Maria Fernanda Araujo, and UK ambassador Mark Kent making the contacts with the Islanders.
As said above Mr. Eurnekian and his Corporación America-Aeropuertos Argentina 2000, will pay for the whole March 26 operation, however the Argentine government will be responsible for bringing all the relatives to Buenos Aires, and then returning them to their home towns.
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Feb 26th, 2018 - 10:07 am +9Play with the words all you like Think, but this was issued in response to the Clarin report (and others) announcing the 15th as the date of the relatives visit to the Islands. Immediately slammed down. Proof indeed.
Think- the 15th was an Arg guess date- FACTS were explained at that time by FIG through the Br Embassy - and so date was later recised to 26th.
Feb 26th, 2018 - 11:29 am +91.Takes a bit of time to get the airline and then it to start the process to get its paperwork agreed with Dept of Civil Aviation, Falkland Islands Govt. Like Insurance and Aircraft certificates etc.
2. lot of these families will be Elderly - weather not always nice and warm and sunny - so our side here needs just a wee bit of time to plan and organise logistics like:
Coaches
Temporary Toilets
Warm places to shelter if weather not nice- ie windy and snow squalls.
First Aid facilities in case any elderly folks need some
Some security
etc etc.
it is important the such a day of emotion for those 88 families goes well and RESPECTFULL - handled the organised and dignified Falklands way - not a Min.of Foreign Affairs shambles.
Incidentally todays Arg press is again wrong anyway - plans are for the named grave stones to be sent over and in place before the 26th and more appropriate.
So do not believe what Arg Press says - they do shout off at half-cock at times.
The first 'according to Argentina' turned out to be 'not according to the FIG' and was therefore cancelled. They agreed with this, so thank yourself lucky Think. Monkeys or Organ grinders? The evidence shows who has been in charge.
Feb 26th, 2018 - 08:24 am +8In and out all in one day .... minimum of fuss. Sounds reasonable.
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