Monday, March 12, 2012

‘Economic blockade to the Falklands (Malvinas) not right,’ says UK’s Browne in Chile

In Chile for a two-day official visit, United Kingdom’s Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne criticized what he called an “economic blockade” to the Malvinas Islands by saying it “wasn’t right.”

“The UK’s position is very clear. We don’t believe that an economic blockade to the Islands is right,” Browne remarked during a press conference after meeting with Chilean Economy Minister Felipe Larraín.

“We are not looking to create a controversy with Argentina. However, we absolutely believe in the right for self determination,” he reiterated.

UK’s Foreign Minister, Jeremy Browne, arrived in Chile for a visit that will include a meeting with President of Chile Sebastián Piñera to discuss the future of the disputed islands.

The meeting between Browne and Piñera was scheduled days before the arrival of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner to the Andean country on March 15 for an official visit. Likewise, the British official’s trip comes weeks before the 30th anniversary of the Malvinas War (1982).

In December, Chile announced its support to the Mercosur’s decision to restrict the entrance of ships with the official flag of the British-ruled islands to its ports.

“I think the average Argentine citizen just wants a good job and a good salary to care for their families. If I were Argentine, I would be more worried about a stable economy, low inflation, and job creation than the Falklands (Malvinas). The majority of Argentines have never even visited, and it doesn’t make a difference in their lives.”

Browne also complained about measures Argentina has taken to block the entry of basic goods to the islands, citing a decree that requires all ships that intend to dock at the Malvinas to solicit advance authorization.

“We hope that the people of Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, and other countries see that it is not acceptable for a large and powerful country to establish blockades to attempt to hinder the quality of life of people that live on remote islands,” he said.

“Britain’s stance on the sovereignty of the islands is well-known and is based on the right to self-determination, for the people to decide their own future, a principle honoured by the United Nations. We believe it’s a good principle and I think that all countries can appreciate it. I don’t see many countries that say they don’t support self-determination,” he said.

On the other hand, he assured that “thirty years ago” the British government learned that although it isn’t preferable to resort to military action, “it’s always best to be prepared.”

“We believe that the Falklands (Malvinas) Islands are well defended. We need to defend them because of the political conflict generated by Argentina. We don’t want to start a military conflict in the South Atlantic but we have learned that it’s always best to be prepared, even if one hopes to be diplomatic. The people of the Falklands (Malvinas) want to live in peace to determine their own future. We learned that 30 years ago,” Browne concluded.