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AGREEMENT OF 14th JULY 1999 Comment - Agreement - Side Letter - Press Conference - IMPLEMENTATION "In 1999 I was all for the
agreement. I think at least 60% of the population supported it at
the time. But now I don't think there's a single person in the
Falklands who supports the agreement. Argentina have shown time
after time that they can't be trusted. They have made a mockery of
the agreement. They haven't kept any of their promises, they haven't
shown any respect for the spirit of the agreement. They haven't even
changed our place names. I don't think we should have anything more
to do with them, whatever they do or say." Proposed Mine Clearance
Study Written Answer dated 3 November 2004 to Parliamentary Question addressed to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Jack Straw Since 1999 and the entry into force of the Ottawa Convention no funds have been specifically dedicated to the clearing of landmines in the Falklands Islands. Given the unpredictability of the environment, landmine clearance in the Falklands is particularly hazardous. Since August 1982 the landmines have been clearly marked and have very little impact on the local community. When landmines do surface they are cleared by the Explosive Ordnance Disposal teams based on the islands as part of their duties. Between 1997-2001, 156 mines were discovered and destroyed in this way. Between 2001-04, 268 mines were discovered and destroyed. Under the Ottawa Convention, the obligation to clear all the landmines by 2009 falls upon the United Kingdom. States Parties in a position to do so are obliged to provide assistance for mine clearance and related activities. On a bilateral basis, the United Kingdom and the Argentine Government signed a Joint Statement in 1999 and under the heading of Confidence-Building it was noted that: "the two Governments will continue to work together to evaluate the feasibility and cost of clearing the land mines still present in the Falklands Islands." Subsequently, an Exchange of Notes dated 11 October 2001, detailed how the UK and Argentina should proceed on the landmine issue. It included a provision for the establishment of a Joint Working Group, the first meeting of which took place in Buenos Aires on 3-4 December 2001. The second meeting was in London, on 26-27 October 2004. At the 2004 meeting a list of action points was agreed, including the need for the preparation of a draft work programme and draft budget for a Feasibility Study, both of which are to be considered at the next Joint Working Group, due to be held in Buenos Aires during the second quarter of 2005. Source: www.publications.parliament.uk Attempted Interference by Argentina with Falklands Tourism Industry Letter sent August 2004 by the Argentine Embassy in Washington to the Jacksonville, Florida offices of W.H. Coleman Inc, a company which specialises in the organisation of international events for the travel trade and specifically Travel Mart Latin America, prompted by the inclusion of companies from the Falkland Islands among the destinations represented "The Argentine Government wishes to remind that the Malvinas Islands, Southern Georgias and South Sandwich Islands and the maritime spaces around them are an integral part of the Argentine national territory, illegitimately occupied by the United Kingdom of Britain and Northern Ireland, and are the subject of a sovereignty dispute between the two countries.... The Argentine Republic also rejects the participation in the Travel Mart and the registration in its web site of individuals or entities that define themselves as originating from the Islands as them being a territory separate from the Argentine Republic." Travel Mart Latin America is an annual commercially organised event, which brings together specialised travel operators from around the world and South American destination representatives. It is held each year in a different city in Latin America. Every year since 1998, the Falkland Islands have been represented, originally by the Falkland Islands Tourist Board and more recently also by representatives of receptive travel agencies in the Islands. Similar representations have been made before to the organisers, W.H. Coleman Inc, who have chosen to ignore them. Usually, however, they have been made at a local consular level. Source: Penguin News 8 October 2004 Harassment by Argentina of Vessels in Falklands Waters Formal protest made to Argentine Government over naval vessel's policing of Falklands' waters - Written statement by British Government to Parliament dated 29 March 2004 (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs - Mr Bill Rammell) "On 15 and 16 March 2004 the Argentine naval icebreaker, Almirante Irizar sailed through the Falklands Outer Conservation Zone and the Falklands Interim Conservation Zone. These are areas for which the Falkland Islands Government issues fishing licences. During the time that it was inside these zones, the Argentine vessel was challenging other vessels to identify themselves. While transit of the conservation zones is permissible, the policing of the zones by a foreign vessel contravenes the Falkland Islands' exclusive jurisdiction. We asked the Argentine government for an explanation of the vessel's actions. Their response was not satisfactory. We have therefore made a formal protest to the Argentine Government concerning the actions of the Almirante Irizar, underlining the need to ensure that this type of incident does not happen again. This note also reiterated that Her Majesty's Government have no doubts about UK sovereignty over the Falkland Islands. I have spoken to Falkland Islands Councillors about this incident. I share their concerns and have briefed them on our response. I have assured them of our continued firm support."
Source: www.parliament.the-stationery-office.gov.uk Written statement by British Government to Parliament dated 1 March 2004 (Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs - Mr Bill Rammell) "I made a Statement to this House on airlinks between the Falklands and Argentina on 19 January. I would like to report on developments since then. I travelled to Argentina on 16/17 February on a pre-planned bilateral visit. I held talks on a wide range of international, regional and bilateral issues. The question of airlinks featured in my talks with the Argentine Foreign Minister, Dr. Rafael Bielsa. The talks were frank and constructive and we made some progress. Some proposals were discussed which we each agreed to look at further. These proposals primarily focused on temporary arrangements for charter flights for 2004. I made clear that any arrangements would need to be acceptable to the Falkland Islanders. Regrettably, shortly following my visit, an article appeared in an Argentine newspaper, giving details of my talks and wrongly asserting that a "deal" on airlinks had been agreed. As I have indicated, this was not the case. I spoke subsequently to Falkland Councillors. They concluded that the proposals for temporary arrangments did not meet their concerns. However, they agreed that we should continue to discuss the issue with the Argentine Government with a view to securing a permanent solution to the question of charter flights rather than having further temporary arrangements. We are now taking this forward with the Argentine Government, with the full agreement of Councillors. I will keep the House informed of progress." Source: www.parliament.the-stationery-office.gov.uk
Air links between the Falkland Islands and the South American mainland are the subject of two understandings reached between Her Majesty's Government and the Argentine Government, under a sovereignty umbrella (which protects both sides' positions on the question of sovereignty). Following the UK/Argentine Joint Statement of July 1999, LAN Chile resumed its weekly flight between Punta Arenas (in southern Chile) and the Falkland Islands. Once a month this flight makes a stopover in each direction in Rio Gallegos (in southern Argentina). In February 2001 a further understanding was signed to permit private flights. Under these arrangements aircraft, including Argentine aircraft, can undertake private flights between Argentina and the Falkland Islands. These arrangements continue in place and are unaffected by developments set out below. In recent years there have also been a number of charter flights to the Falkland Islands, mostly originating in Chile and servicing tourist cruise ships. These charter flights are not covered by either of the two understandings described above. They require permission to use Argentine airspace between Chile and the Falkland Islands. Until this season Argentina has not raised any difficulties with these charter flight authorisations, though it had periodically indicated that it would wish to review the situation at some point. On 3 November 2003, without warning, Argentina announced the suspension of permission for charter flights to use Argentine airspace and proposed that a scheduled air service between Argentina and the Falkland Islands by an Argentine carrier be put in place. The weekly LAN Chile scheduled flight was not affected by this announcement. We made clear to Argentina that while we were prepared to enter into discussions about ways of building on existing arrangements for air links between the Falkland Islands and the South American mainland, any future arrangements must be acceptable to the Falkland Islanders, and that the Falkland Islanders were not prepared to accept a scheduled service by an Argentine carrier. We also made clear that such discussions needed to take place against the backdrop of charter flight authorisations proceeding normally. Regrettably, despite considerable efforts it has not been possible to reach agreement with the Argentine Government on opening talks on air services on acceptable terms. This means that there is little prospect of charter flights to the Falkland Islands being authorised to overfly Argentine airspace for the rest of this tourist season. Unless such an understanding can be reached with the Argentine Government, it seems likely that charters for the next tourist season will also be affected. Falkland Islands councillors have been kept fully informed of our exchanges with the Argentine Government. The cancellation of the charter flights will obviously have some negative impact on the tourist industry in the Falkland Islands. However, Falkland Islanders believe that there are principles at stake here which outweigh short-term economic costs. We respect and agree with that view. Argentina is fully aware of our position and we hope that an acceptable arrangement can be reached in the interests of all parties to resolve the charter flight issue." Source: www.parliament.the-stationery-office.gov.uk
Extract from a speech by Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Mr Bill Rammell dated 11 February 2003 during a Parliamentary debate on Argentina "Any assessment of relations between the United Kingdom and Argentina must take account of progress on South Atlantic issues. I will briefly restate the Government's policy on the Falkland Islands. Sovereignty is not negotiable unless that is the wish of the Islanders themselves. The Government remains committed to the right of the Falkland Islanders to determine their own future. The Islands will be British for so long as the Islanders wish them to remain so. We make that clear in all bilateral discussions with the Argentine Government. However, our goal is to maintain a fruitful dialogue with Argentina on issues of mutual interest in the South Atlantic. These two approaches are not contradictory. It is to the advantage of both the Islanders and the Argentines to work together on challenges such as the preservation of fish stocks and continental shelf delimitation. We also want to make further progress on implementing the 1999 Joint Statement. We are working with the Argentine and Falkland Islands Governments on the construction of a memorial to the Argentine fallen in the Falkland Islands. We continue to make progress in the South Atlantic Fisheries Commission. That Commission, which comprises United Kingdom, Argentine and Falkland Islands officials, will meet again soon to discuss issues of mutual concern, including the prospects for a multilateral high seas fisheries agreement. However, we are concerned that that welcome progress will be set back if the draft fisheries poaching Bill that is currently before the Argentine Congress becomes law. The Bill would have damaging implications for the Falkland Islands fishing industry as well as for the work of the Commission. Although there are still differences on South Atlantic issues, the important thing is to manage them sensibly and discuss practical matters affecting the Falkland Islands in a low-key, constructive way. That is in the interests of the people of both Argentina and the Falkland Islands. Such an approach is encouraging. It shows a new maturity in our relationship with Argentina, and we want to build on that. That maturity was also demonstrated by the way in which the 20th anniversary of the South Atlantic conflict was remembered in the United Kingdom, the Falkland Islands and Argentina. The emphasis was, rightly, on reconciliation rather than recrimination. That view was reflected during visits to Argentina by my Right Honourable Friend the Defence Secretary and the Chief of the Air Staff, and by the visits to the Falkland Islands of His Royal Highness the Duke of York and the Minister of State from the Ministry of Defence. Argentina faces many challenges in 2003. The path to economic stability and prosperity for the people of Argentina is a difficult one. They have been through one of the worst recessions experienced anywhere in the world. Our role is to work with the Argentine Government and help in whatever way we can to ensure that they take the right decisions and seize opportunities. In the longer term, the prospects for Argentina are very positive, and the British Government very much want to work with its Government." Source: www.parliament.the-stationery-office.gov.uk
Written Answer dated 7 December 1999 to Parliamentary Question addressed to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Robin Cook "A number of the measures set out in the British-Argentine Joint Statement of 14 July have already been implemented. The Falkland Islands Government have admitted Argentine passport-holders to the Falklands since July. All deadlines have been met to restore air links between the Falklands and South America and to introduce measures to combat the common menace of poaching of fish stocks. We continue to consolidate progress on the remaining issues. We are working with Argentina on a Memorandum of Understanding on the terms of a study to determine the cost and feasibility of removing the remaining land mines from the Falklands. Both sides continue to work towards a multilateral arrangement to regulate fishing in the high seas of the South-West Atlantic. An Argentine architect has recently visited the Falklands to discuss proposals for construction of a memorial at the Argentine cemetery there. The Argentine Government are committed to reviewing their use of Falklands place names. None of these developments affect our commitment to defend the Islanders' right to determine their own future. The sovereignty of the Falkland Islands is not for negotiation." Source: www.parliament.the-stationery-office.gov.uk
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