David Cameron accuses Argentina of ‘colonialism’ over Falklands Islands

Argentina’s foreign minister Héctor Timerman said: “Instead of
convening its National Security Council, Great Britain should call Ban
Ki-moon and accept the multiple resolutions of the [UN] organisation urging
a dialogue on the Malvinas [Falklands] question to reach a peaceful
solution.”

Mr Timerman added that Britain was “in imperial decline” was attempting to
“rewrite history”.

Argentina’s interior minister Florencio Randazzo said the “colonialism”
comment was “absolutely offensive”.

“It is absolutely offensive especially in the case of Great Britain. History
clearly shows what its attitude to the world was,” said Mr Randazzo.

Argentina president Cristina Kirchner has been vocal on the Falklands issue.
In December she accused Britain of “taking Argentine resources”
and ignoring UN resolutions as she called for renewed talks about the future
of the Falkland Islands.

Mr Cameron said it was also important to commemorate those who died in the
1982 Falkands War, a brief but bloody conflict that claimed the lives of 649
Argentine troops and 255 British military personnel.

Tory MP Andrew Rosindell (Romford) branded Argentina’s actions “wholly
deplorable” and urged Mr Cameron to “remind Argentina they lost
the Falklands War and that it’s up to the Falklanders to determine their own
future”.

Speaking later, a source close to the Prime Minister said: “There has
been quite a lot of rhetoric going on from Argentina and the Prime Minister
is keen to show how important the protection of the Falklanders and their
self-determination is to him.”

The source said Tuesday’s NSC meeting sent “a strong signal” to the
Argentinians.

The Falklands, internally self-governing islands in the south Atlantic some
400 nautical miles from Argentina, have been held by Britain since 1833.

Organization of American States (OAS) chief Jose Miguel Insulza last week
questioned Britain’s “persistence” in sending out ships under the
flag of the Falkland Islands.

Diplomatic friction between Argentina and Britain has intensified since 2010,
when London authorised oil prospecting around the islands, which have a
population of around 3,000.

Mr Randazzo’s comments follow a further show support from Latin American
countries for Argentina’s claims to sovereignty over the Falklands. On
Tuesday the government of Honduras pledged “unrestricted support” to the
visiting Argentine Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman.

The visit was part of a Central American tour which earlier saw Timerman meet
with ex Panamanian presidents, Aristides Royo and Martin Torrijos. They said
Argentina’s claim to the Falkands was a “Latin American cause”.

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