This is the seventh of a series of extended political articles written exclusively for the Penguin News web site by Deputy Editor John Fowler. John is a former Superintendent of Education and a former Manager of the Falkland Islands Tourist Board.
British diplomats have accused Argentina of plotting an economic blockade of the Falkland Islands amid fears Buenos Aires is attempting to block all flights from Chile to the Islands, reports the guardian.co.uk in a piece by Rory Carroll, Jonathan Franklin and Uki Goñi.
Prince William's wife Kate will not be on her own during her husband's tour of duty in the Falkland Islands: the couple have a new puppy, St James's Palace said Wednesday.
The British government confirmed that Prince William begins this Wednesday his six week deployment in the disputed Falkland Islands as a helicopter pilot when he flies out from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire tonight.
By Jaime Daremblum from the Hudson Institute (*) - In 1982, Argentina's right wing military junta launched a sudden invasion of the Falkland Islands, the South Atlantic archipelago that has been a British possession since 1833. The invasion was motivated by a desire to distract attention from the country's severe economic woes, including hyperinflation and massive capital flight.
Brazil reiterated its support for Argentina’s Malvinas Islands sovereignty claim and insisted that solving the controversy with the UK is ‘most important’ for South America’s stability. It also pointed out that it’s not correct to talk about “a blockade”.
Argentina condemned the announcement of the arrival of state of the art HMS Dauntless, a British warship, to the Falklands/Malvinas Islands and urged the UK to “avoid falling in the temptation of engaging in discourse that transforms patriotism in bullying patriotism.”
The government has ruled out bringing in a UK law to ensure the Falkland Islands' right to remain British. Tory MP Guy Opperman said legislation would show support for the unambiguous right to self-determination.
European Union ambassador in Buenos Aires Alfonso Diez Torres said that the Falklands/Malvinas issue does not figure in the foreign affairs agenda of the EU, it’s a bilateral issue and he does not see any reason to amend the Lisbon treaty to exclude the disputed South Atlantic Islands as demanded by Argentina.
The British government acknowledged on Friday the naming of the new Argentine ambassador to the United Kingdom, and stated that they hoped the coverage of the long-vacant position will permit “the strengthening of cooperation” between the two countries.