By John Fowler for Penguin News, Stanley, Falkland Islands - My first contact with Latin America came in 1971, when my wife and I spent four days in Montevideo while waiting for a ship to carry us to the Falkland Islands. We received such amazing hospitality and kindness from the Uruguayans we met then, that this small, but perfectly-formed country has had a place in my heart ever since.
One day after the summit in Montevideo, Uruguay criticized the functioning of Mercosur, particularly the lack of cooperation, trade barriers and impediments and delays to essential infrastructure works for the group.
In an Opinion piece, “Time to talk about the Falklands”, The Independent suggests the time might have come to defuse the situation in the South Atlantic and take up last year’s offer from US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to broker between Britain and Argentina.
“We will always maintain our commitment to you on any question of sovereignty because your right to self-determination is the cornerstone of our policy”, said British Prime Minister David Cameron in his Christmas message to the Falkland Islands.
Argentina’s CGT Labour Confederation leader Hugo Moyano stated on Thursday that, “our relationship with the Government is not broken, just suspended as the President (Cristina Fernandez) wishes,” during a press meeting with international news correspondents.
After statements published by the English newspaper “The Daily Mail,” in which the former head of the Navy, Lord Alan West, said that a nuclear submarine should be sent to the Malvinas Islands, the United Kingdom assured it does not plan to increase the military presence in the Islands.
As when she first joined the Fleet in 1982, HMS Illustrious has once again been formally welcomed into the bosom of the Royal Navy with a rededication ceremony at sea. The aircraft carrier held the ceremony as she returned from Hamburg - the ship's first visit to a foreign port in more than two years.
The reception held on Wednesday at the Falkland Islands Government House to recognise the community work of Capt. Andrew Brownlee, who earlier this year in Buckingham Palace was awarded an MBE in the Queen’s birthday honours, and the announcements this week from two local charities that recent events had raised over £17,000 from within the community, highlight a tight-knit community where charity begins at home and people are more than willing to give up their time and contribute to helping their neighbour.
Britain’s Foreign Secretary William Hague and Uruguay’s Foreign Affairs minister Luis Almagro will discuss the Falklands/Malvinas flagged vessels issue on Friday according to a release from the British embassy in Montevideo
A report from the Uruguayan Coast Guard argues there is no legislation impeding Falklands/Malvinas flagged vessels from operating in the port of Montevideo. The report was handed to the Uruguayan Ministry of Foreign Affairs which is drafting a protocol regarding what ships can and which can’t access Uruguayan ports.