MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Falkland Islanders mark Commonwealth Day with a range of events
On six continents around the globe, the currently 53 countries of the Commonwealth marked Commonwealth Day earlier in the week. The day included messages to the Commonwealth from Her Majesty the Queen as well as the UK Prime Minister, both of which have been covered by MercoPress. However, the Falkland Islands also reaffirmed its ties to the Commonwealth over recent days both within the Islands and elsewhere in the world. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesA notable date all round it seems. In addition to Commonwealth Day, March 12th was also the 5th anniversary of the Falklands Referendum result announcement.
Mar 13th, 2018 - 11:42 pm - Link - Report abuse +3Peculiarly, the Photoshop Prof, Marcelo Kohen, and his trusty sidekick, Facundo 'Robin' Rodrigriguez, chose this same day to hold a public meeting in Stanley to present a 20 point plan aimed at resolving the 'dispute' with Argentina. This is also to be unveiled in Buenos Aires on the 20th.
During the presentation, Kohen made frequent references to the Good Friday Agreement, perhaps having failed to note that Eire had given up its claims to the territory in order to achieve agreement. Once again, Kohen asserted that there were only two participants to the dispute - Argentina and the UK - effectively dismissing the Referendum result and sticking to the nonsense that the Islanders have no say in their own future.
The 6 members of the audience (plus 2 journalists) were not convinced it seems.
Regardless of the nonsense of a 20-point plan to resolve an issue settled long ago the sheer arrogance of Kohen's timing is staggering. Turning up on the anniversary to say that the Islanders referendum was a waste of time.
Probably just as well that not many turned up.
What are the 20 point's Roger....
Mar 14th, 2018 - 11:45 am - Link - Report abuse 0Hard to say. The 2 journalists have yet to publish and one, talking to FINN, gave the impression that they couldn't be bothered to list them all.
Mar 14th, 2018 - 12:10 pm - Link - Report abuse +2Kohen didn't make much of an impression it seems.
That's disappointing, I wanted to know too. I wonder if any of our regular commenters were among the 6 who attended?
Mar 14th, 2018 - 08:16 pm - Link - Report abuse 0What I received was this - https://twitter.com/rogerlorton/status/973544402470649856
Mar 14th, 2018 - 11:07 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I'm hoping that penguin News has something to say, otherwise we'll have to wait till next week when Kohen is due to present his plan in Buenos Aires.
I'm surprised it's not in MP already, but it's bound to get a lot more attention in BA. A referendum in 30 years? On what exactly, and how would it work? I can't see the Argentines going for that.
Mar 15th, 2018 - 12:26 am - Link - Report abuse +1Nor I. Not entirely sure what Kohen & Rodriguez are up to. Publicity for their book? Attempting to raise their status? Trying to restart the debate in Argentina? The Macri-effect has reduced the question to a murmur compared to the Kirchner governments.
Mar 15th, 2018 - 12:37 am - Link - Report abuse +1When I hear more, I'll pass it on.
England will return the Malvinas within 25 years.
Mar 16th, 2018 - 08:34 am - Link - Report abuse -2At last, a welcome opportunity to step in, even if the door was opened by an idiot.
Mar 16th, 2018 - 09:31 am - Link - Report abuse +2Further to my previous comments, Penguin News did not add very much more to the previous reports others than Kohen dismissing the 2013 Falklands Referendum result because it had not been organised by the UN. Regarding that, I can only assume that he has not read UN GA Res 637 of 1952. That states that it is only 'preferable' for plebiscites to be under the auspices of the UN. It did not make it compulsory or attempt to deny those that weren't..
As for these mysterious 20 points, from what has been reported I can make a stab at some of them -
1) FI to become a self-governing province of Argentina;
2) FI electorate to vote for at own Gov & Administration;
3) Independent Judiciary;
4) Tax/Customs/Currency/Official Language to remain same;
5) No interference by Federal Gov.;
6) Dual Arg/British nationality;
7) UK to have presence in the Islands;
8) Two independent nations to act as guarantors (Canada & Brazil suggested);
9) Islands de-militarised after 2 years;
10) Provincial militia to operate for defence;
11) Optional Referendum after 30 years;
12) If no future agreement, case to go to the ICJ
No.4 may be more than one point.
This whole nonsense is based upon two presumptions - firstly that Argentina actually has a valid claim and secondly, upon the premise that the UK wishes to divest itself of the territory. As both are wrong, I can't see this having any legs.
We'll watch the effect of his delivery on the 20th in BA. Perhaps he'll get more than 6 people and 2 journalists turn up?
@RL
Mar 16th, 2018 - 06:36 pm - Link - Report abuse 0If Argentina had suggested that in 1982 they might have really got somewhere.
Did he mention immigration? Even if anyone was prepared to take his plan seriously I see that being a sticking point. Hold a referendum in 30 years after as many Argentines as want to have moved to the islands?
No interference from the Federal government sounds... optimistic. Can you really imagine CFK keeping her hands off? Or any other Peronist. And what are the two 'guarantor' nations supposed to do if that happens?
I'll be interested to see if the TdF government kicks up a fuss when he unveils this plan in Argentina, and what people there think. Would being a self-governing province give them 3 senators? That seems excessive for such a small place. And what's a 'provincial militia'? FIDF rebranded?
Oh, did he mention South Georgia and the South Sandwich islands at all?
It's all pie in the sky as far as I can see.
Mar 16th, 2018 - 11:56 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Yes, he included South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands despite their being very separate territories.
I can only conclude that the man is mad.
England will return the Malvinas within 25 years.
Mar 17th, 2018 - 05:18 am - Link - Report abuse -1Argentina will return Patagonia within 25 years.
Mar 17th, 2018 - 09:31 am - Link - Report abuse +2No madder than you. ;)
Mar 17th, 2018 - 09:52 am - Link - Report abuse -1At least he's come up with a concrete proposal, which is more than his government ever does. They prefer making laws about a place where they can't enforce them and pretending the TdF government has some relevance.
Plus he's willing to go to the ICJ; I suppose as a lawyer he'd like to argue the case and see how his theories stand up in reality. I can't see our government being too thrilled at the idea, we have a lot more to lose than to gain.
I wondered if he might treat the other islands differently since they were never claimed by Spain or settled by Argentina, but apparently he's following his country's usual line. Disappointing.
Concrete? A proposal for a dispute that no longer exists (according to a few British Ministers). A proposal that will be laughed out in Argentina, let alone the UK.
Mar 17th, 2018 - 11:50 am - Link - Report abuse +1Kohen has been suggesting recourse to the ICJ for a dozen years. His Government's lawyers have never agreed with him. Kohen would love his day in court. It is never going to happen. It is up to the plaintiff to take a case, and Argentina has no willpower to do so.
Far madder than me DT
I know that the matter is settled :-)
England will return the Malvinas within 25 years.
Mar 18th, 2018 - 05:18 am - Link - Report abuse -3Commenting for this story is now closed.
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