Wednesday, January 25, 2012

UK 'has no arguments' in Malvinas sovereignty claim, CFK

President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner resumed her official activities after a 20-day medical leave of absence and criticized Great Britain after Prime Minister David Cameron accused Argentina of being a “colonialist” country. She also announced the declassification of the Rattenbach Report on the Malvinas War in 1982.

“I heard they were calling us colonialists. Honestly, we are always tempted to respond, but sometimes we have to avoid doing so because when you hear such statements it’s because they have neither argument nor reason,” she said in relation to David Cameron’s statements.

Fernández de Kirchner also said she has instructed Defence Minister Arturo Puricelli to “create a committee in order to declassify the Rattenbach Report,” an independent investigation that was drafted after the Malvinas Islands. 

“History clearly shows that that war was not demanded by the Argentine people, but orchestrated by a junta desperate to bury the new reality that had been uncovered by a group of women who were looking for their children and grandchildren while wearing white handkerchiefs on their heads,” she said.

After showing her surgery scar to the cameras, the Head of State also questioned several environmental groups for not criticizing the exploitation of natural resources in the Malvinas Islands, in a moment when many seem to focus on the controversial mining project in Famatina, in La Rioja province.

She also defended the work made by the medical team who operated on her and spoke of a “miracle” after the controversial news that she didn’t have cancer. She said every piece of information about her health condition was released to the press “without adding or removing anything” since the beginning. 

“Doctor Pedro Saco told me he was in shock because what happened was incredible, it was like a miracle. He cannot say that because he’s a scientist, but I am saying it. And I think it was because of everyone’s support and their love,” Fernández de Kirchner said.

She also stated that she was planning on wearing a scarf to cover her scar, but assured that it would prompt some newspapers to say her operation was a sham.

 “You know I’m a sucker for looks, but I said to myself: ‘politics before looks, darling’,” she joked.

As she entered the room, she was greeted with a standing ovation from governors and Kirchnerite activists. She was joined by Vice-President Amado Boudou and Cabinet Chief Juan Manuel Abal Medina.