Falklands : 28th Annual 'Provocation' Begins with Argentine Protest
Submitted by Falkland Islands News Network (Juanita Brock) 12.10.2010 (Article Archived on 26.10.2010)
Indeed the Falklands and UK media have been invited in years past to observe and photograph missile firing at Port Herriot.
28TH ANNUAL PROVOCATION BEGINS WITH ARGENTINE PROTEST
An Editorial by J. Brock (FINN)
For the past several years routine missile firing at Port Herriot range has been carried out like clockwork every six months or so. Indeed the Falklands and UK media have been invited in years past to observe and photograph missile firing at Port Herriot. However, year 28 sparked a special interest from Argentina’s president, Christina Fernandez de Kirchner, who tweeted her disdain and demanded that Britain cease the tests.
Alberto D'Aloto, Argentine Deputy Foreign Minister said that: "The Argentine government rejects the carrying out of these exercises because it constitutes an unacceptable provocation and has the propensity to generate a regional arms race. This completely contradicts the Argentine policy of searching for a peaceful solution to the controversy in accordance with the international community's calls."
My word, it’s taken the Argentines 28 years to protest about this annual event and I wonder what other routine Falklands’ occurrences will spark controversy in the future. Perhaps the bully machine could make any of our celebrations and parades look like subversive activity. ( I note that the rhetoric steps up when Desire Petroleum are exploring for hydrocarbons.)
However, it was Argentine pressure that prevented HMS Gloucester from visiting Uruguay and cast another shadow over the ship’s planned visit to Valparaiso in Chile. It is doubtful if excluding the Royal Navy from a courtesy call helps Argentina to search “for a peaceful solution to the controversy in accordance with the international community's calls."
Thus far countries in South America that traded with the Falklands have lost vast amounts of business due to new Argentine shipping regulations that prevent free trade between the continent and the Falklands - ditto for the charter flight ban. Recently there has been Argentine harassment within the FICZ.
The Foreign Secretary was interviewed on the BBC programme “World Have Your Say” and he said to Ros Atkins that Britain wanted to increase trade with Latin America – but at what price? The Falklands are grateful for the 100% backing Britain gives over our right to self-determination but an equal diplomatic effort needs to be initiated to counter that of Argentina if the Islands are to progress and meaningful trade can be conducted with Latin America – both between the Falklands and the mainland and Britain and the continent.
Presently it’s a stalemate with Britain backing us and using the standard answer to remedy every call for negotiations. The usual South American response is to thwart any trade between the Falklands and the mainland. With South American countries refusing entry to Royal Naval Ships the stakes have finally ratcheted up to involve the UK. FINN feels that this new trend needs to be countered before the South Atlantic becomes like the South China and Yellow Seas, where the Peoples’ Republic of China have sea dominance and control trade.
Seeking viable alternatives has been a forte of the Falklands and I am sure we can weather the petty complaints about routine missile firing in our own waters. But thought to what would happen when South American countries club together to thwart the UK should be given before there is no ‘wiggle room’ left to come to any meaningful results for trading with the neighbours.
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