Foreign Affairs Minister Héctor Timerman arrived in London this morning to discuss the sovereignty of the Falklands/Malvinas. While a meeting with British Foreign Secretary William Hague was not on Timerman’s official agenda, he expressed interest in meeting with him under the condition that there would be no Falklands/Malvinas representative present.
Timerman asserted in an interview with Página 12 that he would not meet with a governing body from the islands because it is “an illegal government.”
President Fernández and Minister Timerman (photo courtesy of Globovisión)
“There is not a country in the world that accepts English sovereignty in the Malvinas,” he said.
Argentine ambassador to the UK Alicia Castro also stated that Argentina will not take part in any negotiations involving a third party.
Last Thursday, Timerman rejected Hague’s offer to meet because of the stipulation that islanders be present at the meeting.
The agenda did include a meeting on Wednesday with European groups supporting open discussion regarding the issue.
In addition to discussing the issue of which nation lays claim to the islands, Timerman wants to find out if the UK has nuclear arms on the Falklands/Malvinas.
“Great Britain has invaded Argentina four times,” he said in the interview with Página 12. “The colonial presence of Britain in the Malvinas is an imposition and the world does not accept it.”
In March, a referendum will be held on the Falklands/Malvinas where the islanders will voice their opinions regarding the islands’ sovereignty.
It is interesting that every time Argentina pushes the Falkland Islands issue, the outcome is completely the opposite from Argentine wishes. The unrelenting diplomatic and political activity will do little to soften the Falkland Islanders already negative view of Argentina, but it may eventually move them to resolve their relationship with the Mother country and become South America’s newest nation.