It’s been a quarter century since the United Kingdom demonstrated to Argentina the futility of asserting a territorial claim to Falkland Islands, and yet, the illusion continues:
BUENOS AIRES — As they organize separate 25th anniversary ceremonies to remember their war over the Falkland Islands, Argentine and British officials have found that remembering is the easy part.
Resolving, however, is a much trickier proposition.
The windblown archipelago is once again claiming headlines here, climbing back near the top of Argentina’s international agenda a quarter-century after its military surrendered the territory to Britain.
Last week Argentina aimed yet another rhetorical dart at Britain, publicly reasserting its claim to islands it says were stolen by the English in 1833. The British should be getting the message by now: President Nestor Kirchner’s government in the past year has issued official complaints concerning rights to the islands at a rate of more than one per month.
Meanwhile, Argentina’s legislature has convened a committee dedicated to bolstering its claim over the islands, which sit about 350 miles off its coast and where sheep outnumber people by about 220 to 1. The Argentine government has pushed for, and has received, attention from the United Nations, which drafted a committee resolution last year recommending negotiations. Some political leaders in the region, including Venezuelan President Hugo Ch?vez, have also publicly rallied around the cause.
“Until the United Kingdom gives the islands back to Argentina, we have a moral obligation as Argentines to work toward their recuperation,” said Santiago Tettamanzi, 69, a former merchant marine who plans to participate in a ceremony in April commemorating the war. “We never lost our rights to sovereignty. Getting them back is a national cause.”
Of course, Argentina apparently hasn’t solicited the opinions of the residents of the Falklands:
Residents of the barren islands have lived for years off agriculture and fishing. English is spoken, telephone booths are red and pubs have names such as the Globe Tavern. There are regular flights to London but none to Argentina; Kirchner banned charter flights shortly after taking office.
“When you come here, it’s literally as if you’ve arrived in a little piece of Britain,” said Jenny Cockwell, editor of the Penguin News weekly newspaper in Port Stanley. Cockwell said the islanders like it that way. She guessed that if a vote were taken, “about 0.01 percent” would support negotiations that could result in Argentina gaining territorial rights.
“Why? Well, where should I begin?” she said. “For a start, Argentina can’t even sort out its own affairs, let alone ours. They’re so rich in natural resources, they should be one of the strongest countries in the world. But instead they have all manner of problems.”
The Falklands also can boast natural resources, thanks mostly to the chilly South Atlantic waters that surround them. Since the war, squid fishing has boomed, and oil companies are hopeful that offshore drilling could prove lucrative. The islands’ per capita income is higher than that of any South American nation.
Which, perhaps, is the key to Argentina’s greed.
January 13th, 2007 at 9:41 am
As argentine, I can accept that, at the end of negotiations, England reach complete, and legal control of the islands, just because I, like many argentine people, think that nobody can do other thing to the people that has born in the islands.
But I can?t accept being called “greed”. This is an insult.
Greed is remotion of inhabitants by military force, as centuries ago argentines were removed.
Of course, If germany would take control of france in the second world war, removed the frenchs, and settled PARIS with germans: this gave rights for germans?. Of course not.
January 13th, 2007 at 9:51 am
Greed is invading Iraq for his petroleum, pretending an excuse, like the weapons suppossed.
Argentine don’t need more territory. Is one of the most umpopulated countryes in the world.
Argentine need exactly wath you would need if germany has invaded your country, and his soldiers have walked two times in your capital, as english troops have done at the 19 century. This is greed.
England deny speak with legal arguments, because have no even one. Is England, and not Argentina who reject speak in base of law. Steal a house, and make occupation gives no right.
Altough this, Argentine can cede the rights to falklands inhabitants, because humanitary reasons. But England need first repair at least the moral damage. As anybody honest and with honor do.
Honorable people also don’t lie.