Britain Militarizing South Atlantic: Kirchner
February 8, 2012
By Barney Henderson
The Telegraph
February 7, 2012
Argentine president, Cristina Kirchner, has announced Argentina will appeal to the United Nations over the Falklands Islands, claiming Britain had militarised the South Atlantic in a speech in Buenos Aires.
“The sending of a destroyer to accompany the Royal heir is a militarisation of the South Atlantic,” Mrs Kirchner said.
“We will present a complaint to the UN Security Council and the UN General Assembly, as this militarisation poses a grave danger to international security.”
Mrs Kirchner said the Falklands was not only a “regional issue” but had become a “global cause”.
Announcing the founding of a mental health hospital for Falklands war veterans, Mrs Kirchner said: “I want the Prime Minister of England to give peace a chance and ‘no’ to war.”
Tensions have increased to their highest level since the end of the conflict 30 years ago as the Duke of Cambridge, a Royal Air Force helicopter pilot, began a six week tour of duty in the islands at the weekend.
The Royal Navy also announced last week it was sending its most powerful warship, HMS Dauntless, to the South Pacific.
William Hague told the Sky News Murnaghan programme on Monday that commemorations would go ahead to mark the 30-year anniversary of the Falklands conflict.
He said Britain supported the islanders’ self-determination and would seek to prevent Argentina from “raising the diplomatic temperature” on the issue.
Mr Hague said: “(The events) are not so much celebrations as commemorations.
“I think Argentina will also be holding commemorations of those who died in the conflict.
“Since both countries will be doing that I don’t think there is anything provocative about that.”
Deployments of a warship and Prince William to the Falkland Islands are “entirely routine”, the Foreign Secretary said.
Argentina has received the backing of Latin American countries for its claim of sovereignty over the remote, wind-lashed islands, which were occupied by Britain in 1833.
The dispute erupted into warfare April 2, 1981 when Argentine troops seized the islands, only to be routed in a 74-day war that claimed the lives of 649 Argentines and 255 Britons.
Diplomatic friction between Argentina and Britain has intensified since 2010, when the Government authorised oil exploration in the waters near the islands.
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