'Argentina is absolutely committed to peace,' CFK says

While heading the Armed Forces annual dinner, President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner said that “Argentina is absolutely committed to peace” and dismissed England’s “ridiculous” statements over the Malvinas Islands.

“We want to dismiss the ridiculous statements of a colonial power who is occupying Argentine territory, saying that we are a country on the brink of an attack,” Fernández de Kirchner stated.

“If there is a policy that Argentina has embraced ever since the return of democracy, and also along its history, it that of avoiding a conflict scenario. Argentina once again would like to state that it’s a country of peace, but with scientific and technological progress,” the President added.

“Our Armed Forces should always be linked to democracy, so we become an example of military and scientific development once again.”

Fernández de Kirchner stressed the “importance of strengthening our defense system, because the countries that sold us weapons never transferred technology. I want a country that doesn’t have to give up its development on issues imposed from the outside.”

Cabinet Chief Aníbal Fernández, Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman, Interior Minister Florencio Randazzo, Economy Minister Amado Boudou, Defense Minister Arturo Puricelli and Planning Minister Julio De Vido joined Fernández de Kirchner in the dinner