Negotiations must start from a position of trust and “it is hard to trust a Government who so easily break their word, and who deny our right to exist as a people”, said Falklands lawmaker Roger Edwards in response to the announcement by Argentine President Cristina Fernandez on direct air-links to the Falklands.
Next March 26 the Falkland Islands will be holding an ‘opening’ ceremony to celebrate the release of another 3.5 square kilometres which have been cleared from mines and other explosives planted by Argentine forces during the 1982 invasion.
The Falkland Islands government and tourist industry admit to being confused and thus unable to comment in any great detail on the recent decision, apparently, by the Argentine provincial Government of Tierra del Fuego, turning away from Ushuaia two British flagged cruise ships earlier this week.
Falkland Islanders reacted with skepticism and further distrust to the latest announcements by Argentine president Cristina Fernandez regarding air links with Argentina, while Falklands’ elected lawmakers said the proposal was too ‘muddled’ and with errors for the local government to respond.
The UK expects Argentina to honour its commitments under the 1999 agreement allowing for flights to the Falkland Islands from Chile and insisted that any discussions on flights were a matter for the Falkland Islands government.
President Cristina Fernandez said Argentina will seek to re-negotiate the 1999 accord with the UK which allows for a weekly flight connecting the Falklands Islands and Chile, and replace it with three schedules a week but from Buenos Aires and in the country’s flag carrier, Aerolineas Argentinas.
The Argentine Foreign Ministry suggested in an official Wednesday release that “the EU and the Union of South American nations (UNASUR) analyze the Malvinas islands conflict and urge both countries (UK and Argentina) to negotiate”.
A several million pounds EU aid program to help Argentina should be halted until the country stops threatening Britain over the Falkland Islands, said member of the European parliament Nerj Deva.
Argentina's top diplomat in Britain was summoned to London's Foreign Office on Wednesday to explain his country's decision to ask 20 leading companies to stop importing British products and supplies.
Former Pink Floyd lead singer Roger Waters, who has nine shows scheduled in Buenos Aires at the River Plate stadium this March, assured that the Malvinas Islands “belong to Argentina. He also stated that the 1982 war between Argentina and the UK “saved then British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s political career.”