London. The United Kingdom said on Tuesday it was willing to re-open talks with Argentina but not on Falkland Islands sovereignty or the development by the Islanders of a hydrocarbons industry. The statement came on the eve of a meeting of Argentina’s Foreign minister Jorge Taiana with UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon.
Chris Bryant, Foreign Office Minister with responsibility for Latin America said that there was ”no doubt about our sovereignty over the Falkland Islands. It is underpinned by the principle of democratic self-determination: Falkland Islanders want to remain British”.
Bryant added that “we’re also clear that the Falkland Islands Government is entitled to develop a hydrocarbons industry within its waters. We remain focused on supporting the Falkland Islands Government in developing this legitimate business in its territory”.
On Wednesday Taiana arrives at the UN in New York with support for Argentina’s claims from a summit of Latinamerican and Caribbean states and is expected to table a motion condemning Britain for allowing an oil rig to begin drilling in the disputed Falklands waters.
The Foreign Office minister said that UK has discussed South Atlantic common interest issues with Argentina until 2007, when they left negotiations, something “I quite don’t understand why”.
Further on he said that Argentina's reaction so far has been entirely predictable, “nobody wants a return to the 1980s, least of all the Falkland Islanders” and it is understandable that the Argentine Government is naturally seeking support from some of its regional partners for its sovereignty claim to the Falklands.
“But there is nothing new in this. Many Latin American countries, for their own reasons, have long adopted a similar position in public. Argentina has not undermined the work that we can do with our friends in Brazil or in Uruguay or in Chile or in any of the other countries of Latin America”, underlined Bryant in an official statement.
Nevertheless Bryant again pressed that UK “forged a close alliance last year with Argentina working in the G20 to make sure that there was a proper response to the world wide economic crisis. And our close relationship on other issues such as climate change,
sustainable development and counter-proliferation will continue”.
Insisting on the right to self determination, Bryant said that as all Latinamerican countries can decide and choose what type of government they want “I think this is also valid for the government of the Falkland Islands; they can decide whether they want to be British or whatever and we all know they want to remain British”.
As to the origin of the people of the Falklands, Bryant rejected the argument that they do not belong to the Islands.
“From where did the population of Buenos Aires come? From Spain, Italy, many other European countries including Britain. I’m Welsh, not English, but I live in the UK. Half of the Welsh came from England, Ireland, Scotland even Italy. I don’t think it is a strong argument”, said the UK Foreign Office minister.
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