Malvinas revisited
By Michael Soltys
Buenos Aires Herald Senior Editor
They might not know it, but the leaders of Argentina and Great Britain are doing each other a political favour with the jingoist raspberries they are blowing in anticipation the 30th anniversary of the South Atlantic War. Last year President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner called Britain a decadent colonial power, and British Prime Minister David Cameron on Wednesday said it was Argentina that’s colonialist for not respecting the islanders’ right to self-determination. The name-calling contest into which the Malvinas Islands issue has degenerated seems to serve the natural talent of these politicians for populist posturing well. The spat is now turning into a contest to see who will go furthest to satisfy the local audience. Cameron announced a contingency plan to swiftly increase Britain’s military presence on the islands in case of an emergency. What emergency? The diplomatic neck-twisting is one thing, but Cameron must be told from Buenos Aires that there is absolutely no chance that the Argentine government will consider using military force to win back the islands.
Instead of wasting time in following the shouting match itself and wondering about the highly unlikely prospect of another war, it’s more interesting to note that when Cameron spoke Britain’s Foreign Secretary William Hague was on his way to Brazil for an official visit. Fernández de Kirchner arguing with Cameron is more of the same, but what does seem to be a novelty is the way in which London has been irked by the regional support Argentina’s sovereignty claim has garnered. Brazil, Chile and Uruguay have all delivered on their pledge not to allow ships flying the islands’ flag into port. In Brazil Hague said that the flag ban is meaningless because ships will be allowed to dock if flying any other flag (including Britain’s Red Ensign). But speaking at a press conference with Hague, Brazil’s Foreign Minister António Patriota said that Britain knew perfectly well that Brazil stood by Argentina on the Malvinas issue. Hague must have realized there and then that this is not 1982.
Here’s the news: the region has changed. So sobering must have been the moment that Hague has acknowledged that Britain had neglected Latin America for too long. “We have begun Britain’s most ambitious effort to strengthen ties with Latin America in 200 years,’’ Hague said. “The days of our diplomatic retreat from your region are over,’’ he added. Let’s toast to that in peace.
Souce: Buenos Aires Herald. Sun 22, 2012
Posted by: Mateo Consagra
Buenos Aires Herald Senior Editor
They might not know it, but the leaders of Argentina and Great Britain are doing each other a political favour with the jingoist raspberries they are blowing in anticipation the 30th anniversary of the South Atlantic War. Last year President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner called Britain a decadent colonial power, and British Prime Minister David Cameron on Wednesday said it was Argentina that’s colonialist for not respecting the islanders’ right to self-determination. The name-calling contest into which the Malvinas Islands issue has degenerated seems to serve the natural talent of these politicians for populist posturing well. The spat is now turning into a contest to see who will go furthest to satisfy the local audience. Cameron announced a contingency plan to swiftly increase Britain’s military presence on the islands in case of an emergency. What emergency? The diplomatic neck-twisting is one thing, but Cameron must be told from Buenos Aires that there is absolutely no chance that the Argentine government will consider using military force to win back the islands.
Instead of wasting time in following the shouting match itself and wondering about the highly unlikely prospect of another war, it’s more interesting to note that when Cameron spoke Britain’s Foreign Secretary William Hague was on his way to Brazil for an official visit. Fernández de Kirchner arguing with Cameron is more of the same, but what does seem to be a novelty is the way in which London has been irked by the regional support Argentina’s sovereignty claim has garnered. Brazil, Chile and Uruguay have all delivered on their pledge not to allow ships flying the islands’ flag into port. In Brazil Hague said that the flag ban is meaningless because ships will be allowed to dock if flying any other flag (including Britain’s Red Ensign). But speaking at a press conference with Hague, Brazil’s Foreign Minister António Patriota said that Britain knew perfectly well that Brazil stood by Argentina on the Malvinas issue. Hague must have realized there and then that this is not 1982.
Here’s the news: the region has changed. So sobering must have been the moment that Hague has acknowledged that Britain had neglected Latin America for too long. “We have begun Britain’s most ambitious effort to strengthen ties with Latin America in 200 years,’’ Hague said. “The days of our diplomatic retreat from your region are over,’’ he added. Let’s toast to that in peace.
Souce: Buenos Aires Herald. Sun 22, 2012
Posted by: Mateo Consagra
