In an interview to British newspaper Financial Times, United Kingdom’s Foreign Office Minister for South America, Jeremy Browne, alerted Argentina against the politicization of the London Olympics, set to begin on July 27th by bringing up claims over the Falklands.
The Falkland Islands government announced on Thursday it is content to hold preliminary talks with Argentina on air links and fisheries cooperation as was proposed by Argentine ambassador Alicia Castro to the Foreign Office last April 23, given certain clarifications.
Early sight of the introduction to a consultative white paper about the future of Britain's relations with its overseas territories, suggests that the Foreign Office (FCO), and the Foreign Secretary William Hague in particular, want to have a closer hands-on relationship with the governments of the former colonies, now officially known as the overseas territories.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London (FCO) is said to be concerned after receiving intelligence suggesting that Argentine authorities or proxy groups may persuade the country’s athletes to use the high profile Olympics stage to show support for their country’s claim to the Falkland Islands.
Following on the UK policy to establish closer ties with Latin America, Foreign Secretary William Hague has announced plans to re-open the British Embassy in Paraguay and a new British Embassy in Haiti.
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.
Conservation of penguins, rat eradication and creating a network of protected areas in the Falkland Islands are some of the projects currently under implementation by the UK Overseas Territories Environment Program, OTEP with local organizations.
The Foreign Office has launched a consultation on a new strategy for the Overseas Territories and is inviting views from people of those Territories and the UK on how to implement the goals.
Britain will meet shareholders from explorer Rockhopper to discuss the Falkland Islands and the location for the company's proposed 2 billion dollars oil project based on recent discovery estimates.
The British Government published this week a new strategy outlining how the UK will promote stability and prosperity in countries and regions where its interests are at stake particularly though improved early warning and crisis prevention.