Several events over the last weekend seem to indicate that the last September understanding between UK and Argentina regarding South Atlantic and Falkland Islands interests, agreed by Foreign Secretary David Lammy and then Foreign Affairs minister Diana Mondino is beginning to make sense.
Argentina's new Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein took his oath of office on the Torah on Monday. The choice of Jewish religious scripture was capitalized on by President Javier Milei, who made a few comments on the matter and told his new official that “the forces of heaven send you signs.”
Argentine President Javier Milei sacked Foreign Ministry Diana Mondino Wednesday after Argentina voted in line with most countries at the United Nations (UN) against the US trade embargo on Cuba in force since 1962. The 32nd consecutive non-binding resolution in the same regard was passed with 187 votes in favor, two against (USA and Israel) and one abstention (Moldova). Mondino will be replaced by the current ambassador to the United States, Gerardo Werthein.
Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino insisted Monday in an interview published by the Financial Times that ”the conditions are in place to resume flights to the Malvinas (Falklands)” from Córdoba. These flights were halted during the COVID-19 pandemic and never resumed due to tensions between the former governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom, both of which are no longer in power.
On Wednesday, October 16th, Argentina's Foreign Minister Diana Mondino received Gilles Carbonier, vice president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, to discuss the resumption of negotiations for the Third Plan of the Humanitarian Project, which is geared to the identification of Argentine combatants who fell in the Falklands during the South Atlantic conflict of 1982.
Argentine Foreign Minister Diana Mondino celebrated Thursday's announcement regarding the imminent handover of the British Indian Ocean Territory of Chagos to Mauritius after a dispute of nearly six decades and hinted that a similar path should be followed to ”recover the Malvinas (Falkland).”
Lawyer Valeria Carreras has filed a criminal complaint against Foreign Minister Diana Mondino for alleged “breach of official duties” and “abuse of authority” after the understanding she signed with the United Kingdom to renew the monthly flight between Córdoba and Mount Pleasant, which had been suspended under former President Alberto Fernández when the Foradori-Duncan agreement was denounced.
The South Atlantic understanding, (and by extension to the Falkland Islands), agreed this week between the Argentine foreign minister and the UK foreign secretary has triggered quite strong reactions, reflecting an atmosphere of disarray in the Argentine political system.
Looking forward to a new era of constructive cooperation within the bilateral relationship, characterized by improved dialogue and confidence-building measures, the UK Foreign Secretary, David Lammy, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship of Argentina, Diana Mondino, met in New York on 24 September and made progress towards a broad agenda covering different issues relating to the South Atlantic. It is agreed that the formula on the safeguards of sovereignty in paragraph 2 of the Joint Statement of 19 October 1989 applies to this agenda and its outcomes.
On Tuesday, 24th September, following a meeting of Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Argentine foreign affairs minister Diana Mondino at the United Nations, Falklands openly supported the new era of constructive cooperation between UK and Argentina and released the following,