President Cristina Fernandez underlined the brotherhood between Argentina and Chile which she described as ‘unalterable’, particularly since both countries are now living under full democracies. She also thanked Chilean support for Argentine claim over the Malvinas and said that the sovereignty dispute has as a crucial element the need to protect the continent’s natural resources.
Prime Minister David Cameron revealed President Barack Obama said the US was content with the status quo in the Falkland Islands and ‘would stop prodding Britain and Argentina’ to talk to each other.
Britain waited only a few minutes for Argentina to finish detailing a barrage of legal and administrative threats against anybody and everybody involved in the Falklands oil industry, and firmly stated its full support to the Islanders development of their hydrocarbons resources.
To affirm the Special Relationship, Barack Obama should offer his support to the islanders, writes Jim Sensenbrenner.
Foreign Office minister Jeremy Browne and Chilean Foreign Affairs Minister Alfredo Moreno agreed to respect their legitimate differences regarding the Argentine/UK dispute over the Falklands’ sovereignty but also emphasized the Chilean (and other Mercosur members) position contrary to an economic blockade of the Islands or isolating its population.
Despite the Falklands Legislative Assembly and many Islanders voicing their displeasure at the previous activities of an Argentine group of rugby players in the Falklands, Rugby Sin Fronteras (Rugby without Frontiers) are planning a third visit on April 13, this year.
Increasing common infrastructure projects such as tunnels and border crossings between Chile and Argentina will be the main motive of this week’s presidential summit between Sebastian Piñera and Cristina Fernandez.
United Kingdom’s Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne on a two-day visit to Chile criticized what he called the “economic blockade” to the Falklands Islands by saying it “wasn’t right” and again reaffirmed the right of self determination for the Islanders.
By John Fowler — “The free communication of ideas and opinions is one of the most precious of the rights of man. Every citizen may, accordingly, speak, write and print with freedom...”. French National Assembly, Declaration of the Rights of Man, August 26, 1789.
The chairman of the Argentine Lower House Foreign Affairs Committee, Guillermo Carmona said that the recent ‘Ushuaia Declaration’ claiming sovereignty over the Falklands/Malvinas Islands will be posted to all Parliaments world-wide to ratify and further advance Argentina’s position in the dispute.