MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

“If you have to deny the existence of a people, your argument does not work”, Falklands reply to Mondino

MLA Teslyn Barkman was pungent in her statement to Minister Mondino

“If you have to deny the existence of a people to make your argument work, your argument doesn’t work,” has been the public reply of Falkland Islands lawmaker MLA Teslyn Barkman to the piece of Argentina's foreign minister Diana Mondino addressed to Falkland Islanders, during this week's session of the Special Decolonization Committee, or C24, held at the United Nations, New York.

“Self-determination is our right as Falkland Islanders. Drop your colonialist ambitions. They have no place at the United Nations, peoples' self determination is enshrined in the UN charter.”

“Wishing to take everyone back to 1965 is not nurturing a prosperous or peaceful world, and you can’t learn from what our free will and resilience has developed. History can’t be rewritten”.

“Requesting the UK and Argentina talk bilaterally about our future is colonial. Setting a table for our former colonial power and a power with colonial ambitions over us was suggested in 1965. In the modern setting, this request is neo-colonialism.”

In her speech Ms Mondino said that “self determination can't be a pretext to impede the territorial integrity of Argentina” and the principle does not apply to the conflict over the Islands, since none of the UN General Assembly or C24 resolutions refer to self determination, but to the “interests, well being or prosperity of the Islanders”.

“This is because part of the territory of an independent state, Argentina, has been usurped through a forceful action by the UK in 1833, contrary to International Law of that time, immediately protested and never consented by Argentina”.

People in the Islands are “the result of colonization by UK”, which after occupying the territory implemented measures “to impede the settlement of Argentines from the continental territory, favoring the establishment in the Islands of British subjects with the purpose of defining a demographic composition that fits its interests.”

“This population has not been subdued, dominated or subjugated by a colonial power nor does it constitute an ethnic population, culturally different from the occupying power”, plus the fact that the 2013 referendum “has no value and did not modify the existing situation in any way”.

However, Mondino stressed that “this does not mean that Argentina is indifferent to the interests, welfare, or prosperity of the Islanders. On the contrary, our country has maintained and continues to maintain a constructive attitude towards the inhabitants of the Malvinas, taking into account their interests, in accordance with our National Constitution and Resolution 2065.” 

After recalling the guarantees of a special safeguard regime provided by Argentina for the Islanders and the practical measures implemented to improve their living conditions and strengthen ties between the mainland and the Islands during the 16 years in which the United Kingdom and Argentina held bilateral negotiations, Foreign Minister Mondino noted that “the inhabitants of the Islands are assured the full enjoyment of human rights guaranteed by our National Constitution, as well as universal, public, and free access to health and education systems at all levels, like any other inhabitant of Argentine soil. Respect for their way of life is enshrined in our National Constitution.” 

Minister Mondino stated that, since taking office last December, Argentine President Javier Milei has expressed his willingness to begin a new phase in the relationship with the United Kingdom, recalling that our countries have traditionally maintained a rich and mutually beneficial relationship, encompassing the most diverse areas of cooperation. 

“In a dynamic global scenario, Argentina aims to develop its capacities in the medium and long term and to establish a mature relationship with the United Kingdom that includes constructive dialogue on all issues of common interest,” she concluded.

“The Argentine Government is convinced that through such dialogue a higher level of cooperation can be achieved, and it hopes that this will create the necessary environment of mutual trust to resume negotiations to resolve the sovereignty dispute.”

Two observations to Minister Mondino's address, first that indeed she represents a more serious Argentina than her immediate ministerial predecessors, both of which were famous for their international bloopers and blunders since not only did they not speak English, they did not have a clue about any foreign language, and sometimes even Spanish. Ms Mondino is an English, French and German speaker.

On the other hand Mondino's 'numerous' delegation, when president Milei preaches extreme austerity, 'there's no money, we don't have a buck,” the delegation to New York included several members from the Tierra del Fuego province government. Why? Because the two federal Senators from the province supported in the Upper House, recent legislation considered crucial for the administration of President Milei and not necessarily following opposition leaders stance.