MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Lord Cameron 'not welcome' in Tierra del Fuego
Melella argued that Lord Cameron's presence was “a provocation” Gustavo Melella, Governor of the Argentine Province of Tierra del Fuego and the South Atlantic Islands -to which the British Overseas Territories in the region technically belong- Monday declared British Foreign Secretary and former Prime Minister David Cameron “persona non grata” after the latter landed in Stanley for a series of engagements.
Melella argued that Lord Cameron's presence was “a provocation” despite recent talks with President Javier Milei in which both leaders seemed to “agree to disagree” in matters of sovereignty while moving forward on other fronts of mutual interests.
“The presence of David Cameron in our Malvinas Islands configures a new British provocation that seeks to undermine our legitimate sovereign rights over our territories and sustain colonialism in the XXI Century. We will not allow it,” Melella wrote on X.
“No colonial representative of a State that attempts against our territorial integrity by sullying the memory and the eternal sacrifice of our Malvinas Heroes will be welcome in our province,” he also noted.
The governor underlined that as long as “British usurpation” persisted and the United Kingdom “continues refusing to resume the negotiations established by the International Community”, the struggle to “legitimize Argentine sovereignty over the island territory” will continue.
Meanwhile, in Buenos Aires, comments from Vice President Victoria Villarruel regarding Cameron's trip were awaited since she is the daughter of a veteran of the 1982 War but to no avail.
Before his trip, Cameron had insisted: “We are clear that, as long as they want to remain part of the family, the sovereignty issue will not be discussed.”
Argentine Foreign Ministry sources were quoted late Monday as saying that Lord Cameron would hopefully convey to the Islanders the new scenario under President Milei.
Before that, former Malvinas Secretary Guillermo Carmona underlined that “The Argentine Foreign Ministry remains silent in the face of a provocation that demands a diplomatic reaction.”
“If the repudiation and protest do not come from the Government, let us show as a people that we do not consent to colonialism,” he added
Top Comments
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Read all commentsMalvinense,
Feb 20th, 2024 - 12:42 pm +4Get real - Your Govt in its Constitution claims that the Islands are your sovereign territory- that thus automatically means that the ONLY thing Argentina can talk about with the UK would be a date for you to take us over- ie COLONISE the population of the islands against our freely expressed democratic wishes.
Now that would be totally against the Charter of the UN where it states that the people of a place/country etc have the right to determine their own political future.
Many of us lie myself can trace out families bac to the 1840s and some to the 1830s - and there never were any indigenous native inhabitants here(unlike your country)- and all bar 2 families of those settlers here when Britain came and forced out your illegal small militia(who had recently murdered their leader anyway)- volunteered to stay on in the Islands of their own free will and accept British Rule and British Law.
Check you facts- the lists of names of civilians who voluntarily stayed and who left of their own free will are in your own naval Archives , same as in the Royal Navy Archives of the time.
The last lady of Argentine origen died in 1865 and you can find her grave in Stanley Cemetery.
Malvi
Feb 21st, 2024 - 12:52 pm +1When will Argentina enter into discussions with the UK to hand over Buenos Aires? There is no moral, legal, historic or other reason why they should, but I want it.
Malvi,
Feb 22nd, 2024 - 12:44 pm +1Where do we start?
Well in 1810 there was Nobody living on the Islands- the small Spanish militia withdrew from Port Louis then up to Montevideo to help defend the old Spanish South American Empire.
So if any South American nation really wants to try and claim,they took over the Spanish claim- it would be Uruguay.
as for who was removed by the British om 3rd Jan 1833 and who voluntarily agreed to say- please check the lest of names of all who left and those who stayed as they are in the log of your ARA Sarandi and in your Navy,s Archives- same as a copy exists in the British Royal Navy Archives of that date.
Its just that Argentine Governments prefer to keep that information hidden from you I suspect- but go and ask anyway. Shall I email you the gravestones photos of some of those- Argentines- who did stay on and became British of their own free will?
Before the 1960s it had been about 80 years since Argentina had last raised the Sov question.
Colonialism- Taking over a land against their will that has been populated by a people for generations is very much good old fashioned Colonialism- of the worst type.
1825 the recognition of Argentina as it was then by Britain and signed by both- made no reference at all to the Islands.
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