Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Uruguay to report presence of British nuclear submarine

Uruguay’s Deputy-Defence Minister Jorge Menéndez announced today that the neighbouring country “will not welcome ships of that nature” as the mighty HMS Talent is said to arrive to the Malvinas Islands on 14 June, upon completion of the 30th anniversary of the English task forces landing that forced Argentina's unconditional surrender.

Thus, Uruguay joined Argentina's rejection to the sending of the Talent, and informed that will “report internationally the possible presence or transit of the ship off its coast”, according to Uruguayan newspaper La República.

"If this submarine passes through our waters and we detect it, we have no other choice than report it", Menéndez told the newspaper.

Likewise, Menéndez emphasized that "military ships are not and will not be welcome in our waters and/or our ports", but the official exempted those military vessels engaged in "humanitarian or scientific tasks."

On her way to the South Atlantic archipelago, the submarine, which is equipped with Tomahawk missiles and Spearfish torpedoes, received permission to dock in South Africa between May 10 and 30.

Last year, the Uruguayan government had considered the Malvinas Islands as "a British colonial possession in Latin America", and reaffirmed its position supporting the Argentine sovereignty claims.