Timerman takes case to Decolonization Committee
Argentina will denounce the UK before the UN Decolonization Committee after Britain’s Defence secretary told lawmakers on Tuesday that it would reinforce its military presence on the Malvinas Islands to ensure they were properly protected.
“It’s not only a provocation for Argentina but is also an insult to the United Nations,” said Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman. Several local officials publicly pushed back against Britain’s remark that Argentina remains a threat to the disputed islands, saying the claims are baseless and aimed at stirring nationalist sentiment ahead of a May general election in that country.
“They are provoking Argentina, hoping that the country reacts in order to strengthen nationalist feelings … thinking that it will favour them in their election,” Malvinas Affairs Secretary Daniel Filmus said yesterday.
The secretary, Michael Fallon, had earlier told the BBC before addressing Parliament that President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s government represented a “very live threat” to the islands, over which tensions still fizzle. About 2,800 people live on the islands, where the main industries are sheep farming, fishing and some tourism.
Filmus insisted yesterday that the country would never be sucked into another war over the Mal-
vinas. He said there was no justification to talk of Argentina being a threat. Argentina’s response would, he said, be through diplomatic channels.
Britain plans to deploy two Chinook helicopters to the Malvinas beginning in mid-2016, upgrade communications and renew the surface-to-air missile defence system which is due to come out of service in 2020.
“This makes no sense because no one wants to attack. And so who are they defending themselves from?” Filmus wondered. Defence Minister Agustín Rossi backed the sentiment saying that there is no plan to have the armed forces set foot on the islands.
“The main threat is that Argentina continues to demand sovereignty over the Malvinas, so the main threat is not a military question but rather one of diplomacy,” Rossi said. The country “is channelling its legitimate aspiration over the Malvinas through diplomatic action.” Meanwhile, Argentina’s ambassador in London, Alicia Castro, highlighted that “there is no other way to resolve” the conflict over the islands than “through pacific means and diplomacy.”
“Argentina has no plans for conflict with any country while Great Britain is continually at war in some part of the world,” Timerman said.
The latest dustup began earlier in the week amid news reports in Britain that Argentina planned to lease several long-range military aircraft from Russia. The Argentine government has not responded to the reports.
Matías García Tuñón from the Argentine-Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry told The Associated Press that 2011 was the last time Argentina bought military equipment from Russia — two transport helicopters. Tuñón said Argentina frequently reviews its military capacities and negotiates armament purchases with many countries, but that shouldn’t be interpreted as preparations for war.
“We have a lot of problems within our own borders,” said Tuñón. “There is no possibility of an invasion.”
Source: Buenos Aires Herald