STUPID ARGENTINA CLAIM BY AND THE USELESS NATIONS (ie Corrupt UN officials)

FACT - This map together shows the 35% increase of the "Argentine Platform". It doesn't include Falklands, Georgias, Sandwich and Antarctica. Only the northern section beyond the 200 miles was considered by this UN committee.

THE FALKLANDS WAR - Post Conflict - Think Defence

There is a persistent myth that the Argentine forces were a bunch of frightened, underfed and ill equipped conscripts with no clue of their business. Nothing could be further from the truth. Their equipment in many cases was superb, in part, much better than that enjoyed by British forces.

Defensive positions were well sited and constructed, they had made excellent use of visual deceptions and the radar and ECM equipment were not only extensive but exceptionally well operated as well. Many were volunteers, thought right was on their side and fought with great skill, determination and gallantry. They were not short of most things, there were ample rations, ammunition and equipment, it was just poorly distributed which meant there were many local shortages outside Port Stanley, especially of food. However, the rift between the officer and other ranks was enormous, logistics was inconsistent and at the end of the day, they had no campaign plan because quite simply, they did not expect such a resolute response. The best soldiers on the planet, sailing 8,000 miles across open ocean, supported by equally fine air and sea forces, and with firm intent, fighting skill and centuries of tradition behind them was simply not within their range of expectations.

Following the surrender of the Argentine forces, it was now time to consolidate and prevent a rematch.

Although Argentina had accepted the Instrument of Ceasefire they only recognised this locally, there was no wider recognition of the cessation of hostilities so although they were down for the count the British government recognised that the nature of the unfinished business needed sensible and sturdy consolidation.

Unfortunately, the scale of the other problems facing both the victorious military forces and civilian inhabitants of the Falkland Islands were immense, there were many priorities, every single one of them number one.

Disposal of the detritus of war, getting the defeated Argentine forces home safe and well, restoring damaged or destroyed utilities, keeping everyone fed and watered, rotating British forces out of theatre, satisfying the demands of the world’s media and basically getting the islanders back to some semblance of normality all competed with rehabilitating the airport.

That said, commanders were entirely focussed on the airport facilities, it might have been competing with other resource demands but it was generally beating them as well. Unlike the Argentine forces, we recognised the strategic value of air defence from the islands.

For several weeks, there was also a real fear that elements of the Argentine forces might try an armed publicity stunt.

If many considered the conduct of the Argentine forces to very good during the conflict, towards the end, and after, they somewhat spoiled that.

A vast quantity and variety of mines had been laid and not just in out of the way locations. The hazard to civilians (especially children) and service personnel was enormous. On June 14th Major Roddy McDonald, the OC of 59 Independent Squadron Royal Engineers managed to track down the Argentine chief engineer, one Lt. Col Dorago, in order to assess the scale of the mine problem. Other personnel from 59 joined in, a warning was broadcast on local radio and through the military chain of command, and fourteen selected Argentine volunteers were utilised to complete the recce.

By the end of the day, the full realisation of the scale of the Argentine mining and booby trapping efforts had become apparent.

It was staggering.

They simply did not know how many or where mines had been laid, records were incomplete or incorrect, markers had been removed and mines had shifted in peat and deep sand. The problem was made worse because the Argentine chain of command allowed almost any unit to lay mines, marines, artillery and all manner of infantry units, not just the professional combat engineers. After a number of casualties the clearance effort changed to one of ‘marking only’

The POW volunteer force of Argentine combat engineers expanded, formed a close working relationship with British forces and received special privileges and pay not enjoyed by other POW’s. A joint guard of honour and bugler were provided for the burials of Argentine soldiers discovered during the clearance operations and in thanks for the rapid medevac and treatment of an injured Argentine member of the demining team they paid for and cooked a barbecue for British members of the team and OC of 9 Parachute Squadron RE.

9 PARA left for the UK on the 17th July and were replaced in the mine clearance role by 69 Ghurka Independent Field Squadron RE.

There was a lot of sympathy/pity for the prisoners of war but that understandably evaporated when the scale of booby trapping and vindictive sabotage became known. Argentine forces had deliberately set many complex booby traps in the latter stages of the conflict in civilian houses and places of business. These were often linked to attractive items like boots, binoculars or thermos flasks and many of the discarded munitions were also booby trapped, some even attached to propane cylinders. Water supply in Port Stanley was always a problem, Argentine forces even turned all the taps on in houses they occupied and opened fire hydrants. Desalination equipment was lost on the Atlantic Conveyor, as well as tentage for five thousand personnel, exacerbating the problems. 9 Squadron and 61 Field Support Squadron RE managed to get water supplies running after four days and this was supplemented with water dracones towed into Port Stanley harbour.

In addition, to mines and booby traps, an equally huge problem was that of unexploded munitions of every kind. Everything from small arms ammunition to napalm canisters to anti-aircraft missiles to flares were strewn around the area, half opened and often poorly accounted for.

‘Dumdum’ small arms ammunition was found in addition to a large stock of SA-7 MANPAD missiles fresh off the plane from Col. Gadaffi. Grenades, flares, rockets, cannon shells, mortar bombs, small arms ammunition, aircraft bombs, missiles, napalm, and artillery ammunition all needed to be tackled. Unboxed ammunition was recovered to the UK but anything else was made safe and destroyed by a combined Royal Navy, Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Royal Engineers and Royal Air Force team of EOD specialists.

Repatriating Argentine personnel and maintaining good order was made worse by the gulf between their officers and other ranks, a gulf, generally speaking, filled with a deep dislike bordering on hatred. This was plainly a result of the huge difference in the way they were both treated; officers had different, and larger, rations packs for example, including whiskey and cigarettes. The Globe Store was burned down by Argentine soldiers because they thought it was where their officers were accommodated and but for officers being allowed to retain their side arms, many might not have made it home.

For the most part, Argentine forces were well beaten and looking forward to going home, some weren’t though, the marines, for example, marched to the weapons surrender point and promptly burned their colours lest they become a souvenir in some Officers Mess in the UK.

Indeed, there were a number of slight lapses of UK military discipline as the acquisition of trophy’s and venting steam threatened to spoil the atmosphere. As Jeremy Edmund Shackleton Larken, British officer commanded HMS Fearless during Falklands War, 1982 commented that there was a;

a general acquisitive approach to liberating Argentine equipment

This was quickly dealt with.

The area of Port Stanley, a town that normally supported about 800 people, was no home to ten thousand POW’s, about five thousand UK military personnel, and of course, the permanent residents.

And all this was before the problems of the airport had been addressed.

There were three broad objectives for the British Forces;

ONE; Re-establish basic air operations at Stanley Airport such that they could support Harrier and Hercules aircraft. This would allow much of the task force, especially the aircraft carriers, to return to the UK, and replacement forces to arrive quickly.

TWO; Extend and reinforce Stanley Airport to allow the Harriers to depart and be replaced with Phantoms.

THREE; Select a suitable location for a large military airfield that could support all current and future combat and transport aircraft.

RAF Stanley – Phase One

Stanley Airport, formerly BAM Malvinas, was in an equally poor state as Port Stanley.

The image below reportedly taken the day after the surrender, shows Stanley Airport

Day after surrender.

Prisoners were an added complication around the airport in the days after surrender. Many of them were temporarily accommodated at the airport, it was an obvious place, easily contained, safe, yet surrounded by their own mines and with only one means of access before Boxer Bridge was built by 25 Field Squadron Royal Engineers in 1983.

Surrender

Clearance

The first task to conduct a survey and make safe any exploded munitions, booby traps and mines, of which there were plenty.

This task would fall to both the Royal Engineers and Royal Air Force EOD teams. No.1 Bomb Disposal Group RAF would play a considerable part in clearing Stanley Airport of unexploded munitions but that had a difficult start to the campaign. On the 27th of match they boarded RFA Sir Bedivere with all their vehicles and equipment but when loading had completed, were ordered off again. Another four man team clearing unexploded cluster bomblets from the West Freugh range in Scotland had been killed and the embarked team were disembarked in order to complete the task. The team would eventually join the task force by being flown to Ascension Island to catch up with Sir Bedivere. The team cleared munitions in San Carlos and Goose Green, especially the leaking napalm cannisters and mines at Goose Green. By the time the team had finished its deployment, it had cleared over 900 unexploded bombs, numerous mines and booby traps and tonnes of napalm.

The Argentine aircraft that were left at Stanley Airport were also cleared of booby traps, munitions removed and to prevent accidents by the ever present ‘trophy hunters’ the ejection seats were removed (firing the ejection seats was also used to initiate booby traps)

Once made safe, aircraft were then moved to an assembly area for eventual disposal

A number of PoW’s volunteered for removing none explosive debris and sweeping the runway after they assumed that such endeavours would earn them a priority ticket home, quite how they came to this belief has never been determined!

A number of Exocet missiles were also found, the canisters which would be used later.

Making Good the Runway

During the conflict, the runway was cratered by 5 bombs. The first and deepest was from Black Buck I and the others were much shallower, from retarded bombs dropped by the Sea Harriers/Harrier GR.3a’s. There were also over 1,000 shallow scabs from rockets, BL 755 bomblets, 4.5” shells and cannon fire.

59 Commando Squadron Royal Engineers (with a troop from 20 Field Squadron) filled in three craters and about 500 of the scabs on the Northern half of the runway, the repairs were made by using magnesium phosphate cement called Bostik 276.

The thousand pound bomb craters on the runway were backfilled and a quantity of AM-2 repair matting used to cover them. It was also discovered that Argentine engineers had used filled oil drums to fill the Vulcan crater, these were removed

his allowed the runway to be used for planned Hercules flights.

The first RAF Hercules landed on the 24th of June 1982, ten days after the surrender, a magnificent, and generally unrecognised achievement.

Harrier Operations and Airport Development

Using PSA-1 from the Port San Carlos FOB and a quantity of AM-2 matting left at the airport a short parallel runway, to the north of the main runway, was also created for use by Harriers.

The RAF Harrier GR.3 detachment, armed with Sidewinders, went ashore to Port Stanley Airport on the 4th of July and operated in the air defence role. A number of Rhubb shelters were installed to provide sheltered maintenance spaces but the weather was so severe, a number were dislodged and damaged aircraft.

11 Field Squadron Royal Engineers also supported the repair effort and as can be imagined, the tasks were extremely varied. Not widely known is that in order to create a drainage culvert, the engineers used a pair of empty Exocet missile containers.

In addition, to the runway, the airport support facilities were enhanced greatly and the sign was changed as well.

Argentina captures a Spanish vessel for presumed illegal fishing in the Argentine Sea.

The Argentine Coast Guard (the Prefectura) has captured a Spanish flagged vessel in waters of the Argentine Sea that was carrying out fishing activities presumed to be without authorisation, Coast Guard sources confirmed to EFE today.

The security service said in a communiqué that the fishing vessel was found inside the Exclusive Argentine Economic Zone and was intercepted by coast guard ship GC 27 Fique, of the Argentine Coast Guard.

Sources of the Coast Guard consulted by EFE said that the Spanish flagged vessel, named as the “Piscator”, belonged to the fishing company De Bon, based in Galicia, and its last port of call was Montevideo.

According to the Coast Guard, the vessel was operating in Argentine waters, at the latitude of Comodoro Rivadavia (1,840 kilometres south of Buenos Aires) when it was detected by a coast guard patrol.

Spanish diplomatic sources consulted by EFE confirmed the arrest of the fishing vessel and stated that the circumstances of when the detection and arrest of the vessel took place must now be resolved, and whether the vessel was carrying out illegal fishing activities at that moment.

After detecting the vessel, the crew of the coast guard ship first established communication with the fishing vessel by radio and audible signals “with the objective of getting the vessel to stop, according to international regulations”, said the Coast Guard in its communiqué.

“The Spanish vessel did not comply with the order and tried to change course seeking international waters, which led to a pursuit. The captain of the coast guard vessel continued its calls over the radio without any interruption, in both Spanish and English, until the vessel stopped”, stated the communiqué.

According the Coast Guard, “an attempt was immediately made to arrange with the captain of the fishing vessel for it to be boarded by an inspection crew, but this was refused and the vessel then resumed it voyage”.

The Coast Guard vessel then began pursuing it again until the “Piscator” again stopped, and was boarded by officers of the Coast Guard.

According to the communiqué the coast guard officers stated that wet fishing equipment was on deck, two tonnes of fresh fish were being processed and there were 250 tonnes of frozen fish in the holds.

According to what Coast Guard sources have told EFE, the vessel, which is 72 metres long and 11.2 metres wide and has a crew of thirty, was being escorted today by the coast guard vessel towards the City of Puerto Madryn (1,470 kilometres to the south of Buenos Aires), where it would arrive on the afternoon of this Wednesday.

According to diplomatic sources consulted by EFE, the Spanish consul of the City of Bahia Blanca travelled to Puerto Madryn to meet the vessel and collaborate over the formalities.

Give Us Your Real Dollars for Our Fake Dollars: Argentina Credit

President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner’s wish of being able to print dollars is coming true as the central bank begins issuing dollar-denominated certificates today that trade in pesos.

Argentina is issuing the certificates, known as Cedines, as part of a tax amnesty plan to attract undeclared cash back into the economy. The nation’s foreign reserves have fallen at the fastest pace in more than a decade to a six-year low of $37.2 billion, as Argentina uses the money to pay debt instead of borrowing dollars at interest rates that are more than double the 5.95 percent average in emerging markets.

Fernandez, who said last year that it was unfortunate she didn’t have a “little machine” to print dollars, is trying to tap some of the estimated $160 billion held by Argentines under mattresses or in bank accounts abroad, to ease dollar demand stoked by more than 30 measures that she has imposed since 2011 to restrict access to foreign currency. While the measure is designed to provide individuals dollar-backed claims that can be used for real estate and energy projects, Empiria Consultores says Argentines will just exchange them back for U.S. currency.

“The deliberate intention of the government is for the Cedin to trade like a quasi-currency,” Hernan Lacunza, a former general manager of the central bank who runs research firm Empiria, said by telephone from Buenos Aires. “People will probably go running to exchange them for dollars as soon as they can so the effect on reserves will be ephemeral.”

Dollar Hoarding

 A central bank press official, who isn’t authorized to speak publicly, didn’t respond to a telephone message seeking comment on reserve levels and the tax amnesty plan.

The Cedin “is an ideal medium for the payment of U.S. dollar obligations,” and can be used for buying products from house appliances to construction materials, according to the law approved by congress May 29,

Argentines with undeclared foreign-currency savings have until Sept. 30 to trade their dollars for a certificate of deposit for investment, or Cedin, which will be traded in financial entities and foreign exchange agencies.

The government estimates citizens have undeclared funds of more than three times the nation’s foreign currency holdings. Argentines hold about one in every 15 dollars in circulation worldwide, according to Federal Reserve, U.S. Treasury and Secret Service estimates.

‘Little Machine’ 

Argentines with undeclared funds leave themselves open to investigation by the tax authorities and an offense is punishable by jail time. The plan will attract about $2 billion, newspaper Clarin reported June 28, citing a report by Banco de la Nacion Argentina state bank.

Fernandez, 60, is trying to shield reserves at a time when the nation’s energy imports are surging and its trade surplus narrows.

“Unfortunately for me and for most Argentines, I don’t have a little machine that makes dollars,” she said in a November speech in Buenos Aires.

The central bank’s foreign currency holdings have fallen by $6.1 billion this year and will decline by $4 billion more as the nation pays its bondholders. Central Bank President Mercedes Marco Del Pont said on May 9 that the net effect of the tax amnesty plan on reserves will be neutral.

‘Opportunistic Strategy’ 

The government will have to guarantee that individuals can exchange the Cedines for dollars to attract funds, which would keep the value of the peso from falling further in the black market, according to Hernan Yellati, head strategist at BancTrust & Co. in Miami. Money invested in real estate and energy can also help bolster economic growth ahead of congressional elections in October, he said.

“This is an opportunistic strategy to lower the parallel rate, control inflation and at the same time give a boost to economic activity before the election,” Yellati, who expects about $1.5 billion will enter through the tax amnesty plan, said in an e-mail.

The reference value for every $100 of Cedines, is 90 for purchase and 93 for sale, for an implied exchange rate of 7.2 pesos per dollar, according to a recently created website called Cedin Trading.

That rate would be weaker than the official rate of 5.3903 and stronger than the black market where Argentines pay as much as 8 per dollar. A fourth rate used for financial transactions by swapping bonds and stocks was 7.8257 at 4:26 p.m. in Buenos Aires.

The extra yield investors demand to hold Argentine government dollar bonds instead of U.S. Treasuries fell 19 basis points, or 0.19 percentage point, to 1,180 basis points, according to JPMorgan Chase & Co.’s EMBI Global index.

Property Sales 

Fernandez is seeking to reverse a rout in property transactions after her ban on buying foreign currency almost paralyzed the dollar-based market.

Undeclared dollars can also be traded for a government-issued bond maturing in 2016 that will pay a 4 percent annual interest rate that will be used to finance the energy industry and state-run YPF SA.

The tax amnesty plan will probably fail as it isn’t addressing inflation, which is the cause behind the decline in reserves, said Daniel Volberg, an economist at Morgan Stanley.

Consumer prices rose an estimated 23.4 percent in May from a year earlier, according to private economists.

“The real driving force for why we have reserve losses, why you have poor confidence, and why you have poor growth in Argentina is inflation,” he said in a telephone interview from New York. “We have plenty of experience with exchange rates that are misaligned and that are being propped up by a combination of intervention and capital controls, neither of those measures work.

Timerman warns about South Atlantic nuclear threat

Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman ratified his government’s “commitment with nuclear safety” and warned about the continued dangers of “militarization in the South Atlantic Ocean.”

Timerman was speaking at International Atomic Energy's (IAEA) International Conference on Nuclear Security: Enhancing Global Efforts, which opened in Vienna yesterday.

The Foreign Minister expressed his concern over “non-regional actors with military bases in the South Atlantic Ocean should continue not contributing the necessary information about the possible introduction of nuclear armament in this nuclear weapon free zone.”

“There can be no doubt that this is a situation of undeniable relevancy for the nuclear safety in the South Atlantic Ocean and in the world ', Timerman said in his speech.

Timerman and 33 ministers representing the countries with advanced nuclear technology, as well as delegations of 123 countries, met in the Austrian capital to work out joint policies aimed at strengthening nuclear safety.

Following the day’s talks, IAEA issued a ministerial statement in which they state that “despite the substantial progress in strengthening nuclear security in recent years, more needs to be done worldwide to defend against the threat of nuclear terrorism and other malicious acts involving nuclear or radiological material.”

The conference will analyse past and current efforts and consider how future challenges can best be met to ensure effective and sustainable nuclear security worldwide.

The Conference, which ends on Friday, includes representatives from 123 countries and 21 governmental and non-governmental organizations.

In his speech Timerman also emphasized that Argentina is among the group of “peace loving” countries with a firm commitment to the implementation of the “necessary actions to prevent the pacific use of nuclear energy being abused for weapons or for threatening others.”

“We know that the handling of nuclear technologies and, in particular, that of the finished cycle of nuclear fuel, demands not only scientific and technological excellence, but also an enormous zeal and responsibility in the handling of all the nuclear materials” he concluded.

Falklands have never been part of Argentina and Islanders overwhelmingly voted to remain British

Respecting territorial integrity is a key cornerstone of diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and other Members of the United Nations. The UK respects the right of every independent nation to have an opinion, but it is imperative that those opinions reflect the facts and international law. Otherwise, as history has shown, the consequences for peace, stability and constructive relations can be severe.

The facts are straightforward: The Falklands have never been part of Argentina and never will be until the residents of those Islands (comprised of 33 nationalities, including Argentine) decide they want that. Their opinion is clear: 99.8% voted for the Falkland Islands to remain a British Overseas Territory (ie part of the United Kingdom) in March’s referendum. So that is what they will remain. Just because the Falkland Islands’ nearest neighbor is Argentina (400 miles away) does not make the Falklands Argentine. Expanding such thinking leads to unjustified and unjustifiable claims by others to sovereign territory. Imagine the consequences if every country said that any land 400 miles from its internationally recognized border was theirs? Most countries, including Guyana and the United Kingdom, would cease to exist.

International law is also straightforward: Peoples’ right to self-determination is inalienable and outlined in the UN Charter; indeed the exercising of those rights is what led to the independence of many countries in the Caribbean. The UK Government and Falkland Islands representatives support dialogue on the Falklands. That is why Mr. Mike Summers, member of the elected Falklands Legislative Assembly visited Guyana in March; to have discussions with the Government of Guyana. It was a pity that previously arranged meetings were cancelled at very short notice meaning an opportunity to sit down, talk and try to find a solution was lost. However sovereignty will only be discussed when the Falkland Islanders themselves want it. That is their right. And as they are British citizens, the UK will protect that right.

There have been several UN resolutions on the Falklands over the years. Non-binding UNGA resolution 2065 (1965) did indeed call for negotiations with a view to finding a peaceful resolution. But that in no way precludes the right to self-determination as outlined in the UN Charter, something which Argentina continues to overlook by refusing to acknowledge the inalienable rights of the Islanders. Binding UN Security Council Resolution 502 (1982) referred to the need for immediate withdrawal of all Argentine forces from the Falkland Islands. As history showed, Argentina ignored that resolution meaning military action to remove an illegally occupying force, whilst regrettable, became both necessary and legal. You cannot have your cake and eat it.
 

Preserving independence for the Falklands

 Falkland Islanders celebrating results of the March referendum (Pic by T.Chater)

In 1776, a group of American patriots wrote a letter to their king informing him they were unhappy with their political status and had plans to change it. Americans know this story well. That letter, the Declaration of Independence, formed the United States' profound belief that we all have “certain unalienable rights,” including “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Thousands of miles from U.S. shores, 3,000 Falkland Islanders, including me, are being denied those same rights. Like those brave patriots, we wish to choose our political status and how we are governed. However, the lifestyle our ancestors established for us nine generations ago is being threatened by a country that seeks to redefine our islands and our history. Under its constitution, Argentina will accept nothing other than full sovereignty and control of our homeland, rejecting our inalienable rights to determine our political, economic and cultural future.

This week, one of my fellow Falkland Islanders and I are meeting with members of Congress to share our story. Last week, we were in New York for the annual meeting of the United Nations Committee on De-Colonization, which is charged with assisting territories that are not self-governing with achieving a political status that is acceptable to them. It is not the purpose of the committee to have an opinion on the sovereignty of a territory. Yet sadly, every year the committee engages in a distracting argument over sovereignty based on deliberate distortions spread by the Argentine government, rather than a discussion about our right to self-determination.

In March, we held a referendum on our political status. We sent a clear message to the world — with a 92 percent turnout, 99.8 percent of voters chose to retain our status as an overseas territory of the United Kingdom. For the first time in our long history, there can be no misinterpretation as to how we feel about our relationship with Britain. It is a relationship that has evolved over centuries, and one that we are proud to maintain. Ours is a modern relationship, based on mutual respect and democratic values.

We did not hold the referendum because we had any doubts about who we are or what future we desire. We held it to show the world just how very certain we are about our wishes. The Argentine government dismissed our referendum before a single vote was cast, and it continues to do so. It repeatedly calls for dialogue, but is not prepared to speak with the democratic representatives of the Falkland Islands. The Argentine foreign minister made very clear his government's disrespect toward our people and our rights when he stated plainly that the Falkland Islands people do not exist. All we desire is normal neighbourly relations with Argentina, as with all nations.

We Falkland Islanders have opened a new chapter in our history, one that looks to the future and focuses on building our home for future generations. We will continue to focus on growing our economy through the sustainable management of fisheries, tourism and agriculture, and we will strive to develop our oil industry in an environmentally responsible manner. We will continue to place the highest value on health and education and helping our young people to reach their full potential. In an uncertain world, this is, sadly, not a future we are currently able to realize freely and without threat.
It is time for those nations around the world who respect human rights and democracy, and who are not afraid to stand up for justice and freedom, to lend us their support, too. In the spirit of the Fourth of July, we Falkland Islanders demand the right to pursue life, liberty and happiness.

(*) Mike Summers is one of eight democratically elected members of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly. He is a sixth-generation Falkland Islander and has two eighth-generation grandchildren.

Falklands Referendum: Voters from many countries around the world voted Yes

In March, 1,513 people in the Falklands voted Yes to remaining a British Overseas Territory and only three people voted No. The Yes vote was a remarkable 99.8% of the voters on an exceptionally high turnout of 92.0%. The orthodox view that British voters chose to remain British is not enough to explain the result.

New tables from the Falklands census show that the 11.0% of the referendum electorate were neither born in the Islands nor in Britain. Almost certainly, some 100 to 150 foreign-born individuals, or perhaps more, voted Yes.

This is the conclusion of Professor Peter Willetts from City University, London, who went to the Falklands to monitor the referendum. Today he published a formal report on his findings, as an occasional paper of the South Atlantic Council, which was set up in 1983 to promote understanding between Argentina, Britain and the Falkland Islanders.

The idea of holding a referendum was the Islanders’ response to the increasing pressure they faced from President Cristina Fernandez of Argentina, pursuing a sovereignty claim over the Falklands. Professor Willetts concludes she achieved the direct opposite to her intentions. Instead of weakening and isolating the Falkland Islanders, they were strengthened and given a stronger basis for appealing to the global political community for support. Ironically, President Fernandez de Kirchner has guaranteed that there will be no settlement of the dispute during her presidency and she has made it much more difficult for her successors to have any possibility of being trusted as potential negotiating partners. The Islanders have become so united as a political community they should be called a “micro-nation”.

Professor Willetts agrees with the official Referendum International Observation Mission that procedures for a free and secret ballot were scrupulously followed and the result accurately represented the collective choice of the electorate. It cannot be reasonably argued by the Argentine Government that there was any unfair bias against their sovereignty claim. However, he suggests the Falkland Islands Government (FIG) information about the referendum, sent out to every voter, was “highly prejudicial against voting No to support independence”. The three No votes are widely believed to have been pro-independence and not pro-Argentine. Professor Willetts does not support independence or any other specific option for the future of the Falklands, but he recognises the referendum result has forcefully asserted the right of the Falkland Islanders to have their wishes respected. The Islanders will have to be participants if any negotiations about the future of the Islands are resumed.

The impressive turnout was due to two factors, the intense administrative effort and the enthusiasm of the electorate. The main polling stations were open for two days. Small isolated settlements and farms were visited by five mobile polling stations. An aircraft covered the most isolated places and small islands. Two people on Sea Lion Island had cast postal votes but the aircraft still landed there to collect the ballot paper of the third voter. The capital, Stanley, where 83% of the 1,650 people on the electoral registers live, had a carnival atmosphere with flags, posters and large demonstrations to support a Yes vote.

The full results of the latest census in April 2012 were published a month after the referendum. Among the whole census population of 2,840 people, 8.9% do not have British citizenship; 24.8% were neither born in the Islands nor born in the United Kingdom; and 24.0% do not chose British or Falkland Islander, when asked to “describe their national identity”. These figures cover both people with Falkland Islands Status (FIS), who could vote, and immigrants on work or residence permits, who could not vote.

It is not necessary to be a British citizen to have the vote. New immigrants, who have been in the Islands long enough, are able to apply to belong to the community, to gain FIS and to vote. Professor Willetts has invented the term “Incorporated Islanders”, to cover people who have been granted Falkland Islands Status, who were neither born in the Falklands nor born in the UK. He then asked the census office for an extra table counting the number of Incorporated Islanders. The answer was 182 people from 58 other countries provided 11% of the referendum electorate. Given 8% of the electorate did not vote, then simple arithmetic proves that a minimum of 3% or at least 45 individuals who voted Yes were foreign-born.

The largest minorities were St Helenians and Chileans, but there were also 18 Argentines on the electoral register. These new Islanders are committed to their new country. Over 100 have also chosen to become British citizens, alongside the 42 St Helenian voters who are British. Only one third of the foreign-born Islanders chose their former country as their national identity in the census and two thirds have changed to being an Islander or British or having joint identity. Professor Willetts deduces, not just 45, but most of the 182 Incorporated Islanders voted Yes with the same enthusiasm as the longer established population.

 - From ‘A Report on the Referendum on the Political Status of the Falkland Islands’, by the South Atlantic Council as an Occasional Paper.

About the author

Professor Willetts went to the Falklands from 7-15 March, to witness the referendum on behalf of the South Atlantic Council. He was a founder member of the Council, which was set up in December 1983, to promote better communication and understanding between Argentina, Britain and the Falkland Islanders –

Cristina Fernandez regrets Uruguay is not part of Argentina and praises Uruguayan liberator

President Cristina Fernandez deeply regretted that history did not allow Uruguay to be part of Argentina and blamed ‘so many other events that divided and separated’ the two neighbouring countries preventing them from being ‘a great, great nation’.

The president speaking in the province of Entre Rios praised the memory of Uruguayan liberator Jose Artigas, who set the foundations for an independent Uruguay, but also first tried to convert the United Provinces inherited from the Spanish empire into a federal state following on the US example. But he was defeated in his attempts by conspiration from the city of Buenos Aires.

“This flag of Entre Rios with its red sash across is the symbol of Artigas, who remains alive in the spirit of Entre Rios, that great Artigas who wanted to become Argentine and we didn’t let him, damn it, How was that possible? Sorry for the coarse expression”, said Cristina Fernandez during a political rally launching the campaign for the August primaries leading to the October mid term election that will seal the last two years of her second mandate.

“I get mad when reading history, when you read and find out that Buenos Aires at the time rejected the delegates sent from the Oriental Band (later Uruguay) and that is why today we are not an only great, great nation, as so many other events that happened and divided and separated us. From history we understand that we must make the reverse path, both inside and outside” added the Argentine president calling on the crowd to support her ‘country project’ led by the ‘people’s baton’.

“If we had followed Artigas legacy we wouldn’t be two nations”, emphasized Cristina Fernandez, who then referring to Argentina called for ‘national unity which does not mean agreeing in all and every issue, but agreeing in those that are essential for the development of the nation”.

There were no immediate reactions from Uruguay to the history statements, but it must be said that Artigas Federal League which included several Argentine provinces was finally defeated when a fearful Buenos Aires conspired with Portugal and later with Brazil to have him and his federal republican ideas ousted. Artigas died in exile in Paraguay but his lieutenants with the guarantee of Britain, managed ten years later an independent Uruguay, protected from the territorial ambitions of its powerful neighbours.

Horacio Brusquera, a Uruguayan historian said that Cristina Fernandez was partly right: although Artigas never wanted to become an Argentine (Argentina as such did not exist then) but rather a federal state, and “yes together it would have been a great nation with Uruguay the head and brains and Argentina the rest”, as history has repeatedly witnessed.

After a rough year Cristina Fernandez names new top heads of the Armed Forces

In a surprise move Argentine President Cristina Fernández replaced the top heads of the armed forces and appointed Brigadier General Luis María Carena as the new head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The changes announced on Wednesday come just a few weeks after former lawmaker Augstín Rossi was named new Defence minister.

Carena replaces Jorge Alberto Chevalier, and Division General César Milani will assume as Army Chief of Staff instead of Lieutenant General Luis Alberto Pozzi.

Rear Admiral Gastón Fernando Erice will replace Admiral Daniel Alberto Enrique Martín as the new navy’s Chief of Staff while Mayor Brigadier Mario Miguel Callejo takes command of the Air Force.

The changes don’t come as a surprise because the president had them in mind before removing Arturo Puricelli and sending him to Internal Security. Besides it was a tough twelve months with the injunction of the ARA Libertad in Ghana; the poor performance of the Navy and the total failure of this year’s Antarctic campaign, among other issues.

President Cristina Fernandez and the new Minister of Defence Rossi thanked the leaving generals in an official document, where they expressed their gratitude “to those who accomplished in this time such important responsibilities, putting all their energy, their intelligence and capability to the service of the Homeland”.

The document included a special mention for Brigadier General Chevalier “who accompanied us during the last decade, and was part of the first changes impulsed by Néstor Kirchner when he just took office”.

However, this sudden change might be connected not only to Rossi’s new position but with Nilda Garré, former Security minister, who left office a month ago.

Earlier today, the Kirchnerite officials tried to approve without success, Congress authorization for Garre’s designation as the new ambassador in the Organization of Americans States (OAS). 

Opposition Senators managed to block a vote demanding some aspects of her assets statements were ‘not clear’.

Argentine Antarctic campaigns disarray and corruption claims turn off recruiting

Argentina’s Antarctica campaigns are losing their flair and the country is having difficulties to fill vacancies for the 2013/14 season. This follows repeated claims of alleged corruption and delays in supplying the bases and stations plus an overall lack of support from the Defence ministry.

In effect according to the Buenos Aires media, the emblematic Argentine Air Force base of Marambio which has been the pride of Argentine military, scientists, technicians and staff has been forced to extend the deadline to register for the next season because only 14 signed in and a minimum of 45 are needed.

 Allegedly at one base staff had to beg for food from the ‘Polar Pioneer’

“People have lost interest; they know there’s little food, heating and less fuel. Zero comforts in a hostile environment and the pay is a misery (approx 2.000 dollars per month including the Antarctic bonus), compared to what happens in other countries where spending time in Antarctica is a motive of pride”, according to sources close to the campaign.

The situation in the other bases and stations apparently is not much better: there are still vacancies for the next season in all of them and this is a consequence of recent events including allegations of corruption, lack of provisions and abandonment during this last 2012/13 campaign with one case involving Defence minister Arturo Puricelli ending in a court of justice.

All these claims were supported by the testimony of a fauna ranger at the Orcadas base who openly complained through the social web about “the poor working conditions and limited support”.

Mariano Spisso in dialogue with Perfil daily two months ago claimed that the food and medicine at the Orcadas base all had expired dates.

“It wasn’t a good year. We had to eat expired tin food, there is lack of sufficient food and fuel, and to make things worse we had to borrow food from the ‘Polar Pioneer’ cruise vessel”, said Spisso.

“It was pitiful, shameful; we had to beg for food. So much time and resources invested in Antarctica to end this way…It’s the responsibility of the Navy” insisted Spisso.

At the time other problems surfaced, allegation of corruption in the tendering for Antarctica bases provisions. Eyes are set on ‘Transport & Services’, a company that was suggested by former president Nestor Kirchner and which is in the business of subcontracting to foreign companies.

 The contracted ‘Timca’ run out of fuel and had to return to Ushuaia

Even when Minister Puricelli said that all the tendering process had been according to the rules with no deviations, military sources pointed out that the company above mentioned had “the support from Casa Rosada (Government House)”, because otherwise “it would be impossible for them to win; some of those bids are more like surprise boxes”.

This latest chapter of insufficient interest follows a previous serious incident when the vessel contracted by the Argentine Defence ministry to supply the Antarctic bases run out of fuel and was forced to return to Ushuaia.

The Dutch flagged ‘Timca’ unexpectedly popped up in Ushuaia to load fuel, a non-programmed visit which further delayed the provision of Argentine bases in Antarctica. By then the ‘Timca’ had spent 55 days with the 2012/13 campaign, when the contract was for 35 days with a daily extra cost of 60.000 dollars according to contract. To this must be added that the sub-contracted Russian Kamov helicopter was out of service during 20 days because a turbine broke down and a mal-functioning oil pump.

In other words half way through the Antarctic summer season several bases had yet to be supplied.

Apparently the Argentine ministry of defence paid over 16 million dollars for the contract of ‘Timca’ plus the logistic air support of the vessel and turnover of crews and parachuting cargo.

Cristina Fernandez will veto constitutional reform even from her militant lawmakers

Argentine President Cristina Fernández is not turning back on her word and even if Kirchnerite lawmakers propose and agree on a constitutional reform, she would certainly veto it, said Senator Aníbal Fernández.

The comment from the president’s ‘trouble-shooter’ Senator follows recent statements from Cristina Fernandez pledging she will not push for such a project that would allow her to seek re-re-election in 2015 as many of her most militant followers would like to see.

“Suppose we all go crazy and we manage to clear (the bill to reform the constitution); the President will veto such a thing,” Senator Fernández stressed as he told reporters at a local radio station that “there is no turning back for the President’s word.”

“To make a real and profound judicial reform the National Constitution should be reformed. But I will not propose any constitutional reform. That is why I submitted six projects to Congress”, the head of state said at the La Matanza State University on Tuesday referring to the six-bill package to “democratize” Argentina's judiciary system.

Political analysts and members of the opposition fear that Cristina Fernandez could be planning a second consecutive re-election in 2015 and for which she would need to amend the constitution which only contemplates two four year periods.

For the plan to go ahead Cristina Fernandez would have to negotiate with the Argentine congress a special majority in both houses, hard to visualize currently or even after the coming October mid-term elections when half the Lower House and a third of Senators is to be renewed.

Falklands: MPs blast Spanish MEP for comments on the Islands sovereignty

“The EU is encroaching on foreign affairs in a way that I find absolutely outrageous” said MP Andrew Rosindell for Romford, Essex.

“The EU is again giving the impression that it has some influence and power over things which rightly are British government domain”, added MP Rosindell.

Last week a delegation of European lawmakers visited Argentina and met with peers from the Senate mainly to discuss how to advance stalled trade relations between the EU and Mercosur member countries.

Taking advantage of the circumstance Senator Daniel Filmus head to the Foreign Affairs Committee called on members of the EU delegation to press Britain to begin talks with Argentina about the disputed Falklands/Malvinas sovereignty

“To advance in the strengthening of the accords it would be beneficial if the EU would commit itself to help”, said Filmus who added Argentina wanted the UK to dialogue on the “Malvinas question”.

It was then that MEP Luis Yañez Barnuevo, from Spain and head of the delegation replied that for the European Parliament “British sovereignty over the Islands, as such is not accepted”.

This despite the fact that in early March the Falkland Islands held a referendum on their future and political status, and an overwhelming turnout and vote confirmed the Islanders wish to remain as a British Overseas Territory.

MP Rossindell said that this attitude from members of the European Parliament “is yet another reason why PM Cameron must bring forward the referendum (on remaining with the EU) so Britain can reassert its independence and prevent the diminishing or our own power and sovereignty over issues that should rightly be decided by the British people”.

MEP William Dartmouth from the Independent Party said “It is almost unbelievable that a politician from another country considers it appropriate to make unhelpful and hostile comments about Britain’s internal affairs. Spain still holds its own conclaves in Africa claimed by neighbouring Morocco.

“You can’t imagine a British politician going to Morocco and making similar comments”, insisted MEP Dartmouth.

A Falklands’ war veteran Major-General Julian Thompson was also involved in the debate and said MEPs have ‘no right to make such statements’.

“Some might ask what right Spain has to hold colonies in Africa for instance. The will of the Falkland Islanders has been clearly expressed and it should be respected”, said the Thompson is direct reference to the March referendum.

Falklands’ denies political impact of Argentine South Georgia scientific cruise

 News this week that Argentina had decided to undertake fisheries research in the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands (SGSSI) is not connected in any way to the Falklands, Acting Governor Sandra Tyler-Haywood has assured.

Speculation that it could be deemed a “ratcheting up,” was unfounded, she said adding that South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands are a completely different territory to the Falkland Islands and it was not in Argentina’s interest to upset the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR), of which it was a founding member.

Mrs Tyler-Haywood said although the Argentine vessel ‘Dr. Eduardo Holmberg’ had only sailed from Mar del Plata on April 26, Falklands’ Government House had been aware of plans for the cruise since January 2013.

The ‘ Dr. Eduardo Holmberg’ had been boarded and checked by the British Antarctic Survey’s RRS James Clark Ross (JCR) last Tuesday, as is the right of all CCAMLR members. Mrs Tyler Haywood said the inspector from the JCR had been welcomed on board the Argentine vessel carrying 14 scientists, and it was apparent all CCAMLR regulations were being complied with.

To date 15 test trawls have been carried out to the northwest and south of South Georgia with further trawls planned for the northern part of the island before the ‘Eduardo Holmberg’ returns to Argentina at the end of May.

Argentina had notified CCAMLR of their intention to carry out the research cruise; however what they failed to do was to inform the UK which is normal for vessels to do when operating within a British Overseas Territory.

Mrs Tyler-Haywood confirmed that a letter had been lodged with CCAMLR to circulate to all members expressing dismay at the lack of notification.

“Had they notified us we would have still issued permission, it would not have been refused because it was an Argentine vessel,” she explained, adding that because Argentina would not accept South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands were a British Overseas Territory, they did not think they had to obtain approval. Notifying and obtaining authority applies to all countries including Britain.

“If any further notifications are received from Argentina we will treat them in accordance with every application we get for that kind of cruise and will take action as we consider appropriate,” said Mrs Tyler-Haywood, adding: “The key thing for Islanders is that there is no evidence at all of it being related to the Falklands referendum, there is a separate dispute between Argentina and the UK on SGSSI, it’s not all lumped together.” (PN)

Falklands/South Georgia dispute placed by Argentina under the CCALMR umbrella

 The Buenos Aires media is reporting a potential incident situation in South Georgia waters which could erupt into something more complicated from the moment the Argentine research vessel ‘Eduardo Holmberg’ has been involved in scientific activities in a zone which last year was declared by the UK as a Maritime Protected Area, MPA, and which Argentina does not recognize since it considers it ‘an area in dispute’.

The presentation of the issue says that “the Argentine government has started a scientific research campaign in adjoining and coastal waters of the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands which together with the Malvinas are part of the sovereignty dispute with the UK. The Foreign Ministry initiative together with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries looks to consolidate the presence (of Argentina) under the umbrella of the Convention for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources, CCAMLR”

Because Argentina and Britain are full members of CCAMLR, the government of President Cristina Fernandez sent a letter to CCAMLR announcing the scientific research cruise in the South Georgia South Sandwich Islands area, which as is the norm was then distributed to its members.

But the notification allegedly triggered a letter from Jane Rumble, head of Polar Regions Desk in the Foreign Office to CCAMLR chairperson Andrew Wright, in which the UK expresses its surprise and disappointment with Argentina’s notification procedure, “since Argentina did not have the courtesy of previously communicating us regarding the research it was about to begin in our jurisdictional waters”.

According to the Buenos Aires media the research cruise from INIDEP (Argentina’s National Fisheries Research and Development Institute) left Mar del Plata last 26 April and is currently off the west coast of South Georgia involved in the “Study on the situation of marine biology resources in the sub-area 48.3 and its links with the Weddell-Scotia Confluence”. The study is in combination with the Argentine Antarctic Institute. The cruise is expected to last a month and collect all the data possible on the condition of demersal species along the sea bed.

However since the imposition by the UK of the one million square kilometres MPA surrounding South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands, “there are zones banned for fishing and UK attributed itself the right to regulate and issue fishing licences”, says the Argentine media.

According to Ms Rumble from the Polar Regions Desk, the area is under the jurisdiction of “the government from South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands” and as such under Falkland Islands governor Nigel Haywood mandate, and warns “that in the MPA the use of deep trawling nets is banned as well as any other fisheries related activities in some areas including the 12 nautical miles surrounding Georgia, Shag Rocks and Clarke Rocks, unless a specific permission has been issued”.

However here is the interesting part: “in an attempt to show that Argentina effectively requested the authorization, (which since Argentina as full member of CCALMR does need such a licence), Governor Haywood effectively extended Permit WPA/2013/011, stating that ‘following on Section 21 of the Protected Areas Ordinance, I hereby authorize the fisheries research vessel Eduardo Holmberg to proceed with the scientific research notified to CCALMR on 12 February 2013’”.

But the Malvinas Desk from the Argentine Foreign Office rejected point blank the British authorization, since the Islands are under British domain but “their sovereignty is in dispute in the UN, besides the fact they are scientific research activities from a CCALMR full member and oriented to the conservation of the Antarctic ecosystem”.

According to the Argentine version of events published in Buenos Aires, Ms Rumble concluded stating that “the Argentine notification does not give precise details about the research operation area. We would feel extremely disappointed if they choose to ignore the potential damage to the most vulnerable zones surrounding South Georgia with the activities proposed for the research and we would expect they contact us to guarantee that it can be considered a wide-ranging environmental survey”

 

The Foreign Office official asked chairperson Wright to have the text distributed among CCALMR full members.

Argentina Propaganda - Falkland Islands: “British sovereignty over the Islands as such, is not accepted by the European Parliament”

“British sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands as such is not accepted by the European Parliament”, according to a visiting delegation of EU lawmakers who met with their Argentine peers in Buenos Aires.

The Falklands issue was brought up by Senator Daniel Filmus, head of the Foreign Affairs committee in the framework of a meeting with a delegation from the EU Commission for relations with Mercosur countries, headed by MEP Luis Yañez Barnuevo from Spain.

Senator Filmus as part of the talks on the stalled Mercosur/EU cooperation and trade agreement suggested to his peers that an additional effort to help Argentina establish a bilateral dialogue with the UK on the Malvinas issue would be very positive for the whole range of issues.

“To advance in the strengthening of the accords it would be beneficial if the EU would commit itself to help so that the UK sits at a table to dialogue bilaterally on the Malvinas question” said Filmus.

He added that the diplomatic path “is the only path we conceive and we stress this position in support of dialogue in all the international forums we participate”.

Senator Filmus claimed that the UK is taking advantage of the dispute to ‘militarize’ the South Atlantic and to extract natural resources that belong to the region.

“There is a growing consensus related to this issue and it’s that both sides must sit to discuss it. Militarization and extracting natural resources has implications not only for territorial sovereignty and integration but also economic for our region”, underlined Senator Filmus.

It was then that MEP Yañez Barnuevo and head of the EU delegation ratified that for the European Parliament “British sovereignty over the (Malvinas) Islands as such, is not accepted”.

However the MEP and his colleagues, Jean Pierre Audy, Josefa Andres Barea y Mario Pirillo asked about the seizure last year of YPF from Spain’s Repsol.

Senator Sonia Escudero said that the reasons to advance over 51% of YPF shares “was directly related to the fact that production and reserves of oil and gas under the Spanish administration had collapsed over 40%, while 100% profits were distributed and debts had also ballooned”.

“This caused serious energy provision difficulties for Argentina, and thus the decision”, added Senator Escudero.

Finally the Argentine lawmakers called for a recovery of the favourable climate that has always signalled relations with the EU, although expressing some apprehensions.

“We observe certain aggressiveness from the EU and some of its member states against Argentina, following the decision to nationalize YPF, which is contrary to the historical links and friendship between the two regions”, admitted Senator Escudero.

Argentina openly clashes with UN over the judicial reform; calls Rapporteur ‘ignorant’

In a press statement released by the Foreign Ministry, the Argentine government said the UN's message “not only strays from the standards of professional and independence ethics expected from the head of an organization such as the Rapporteur, but it also shows a lack of balance. It is a stray from the Rapporteur's mandate.”

“It's paradoxical that whoever has obtained the mandate to protect the independence of judges and lawyers lambastes the basic principles of the law and arriving to conclusions without even getting the answers to the questions she asked last Friday evening,” the Ministry said.

The UN Special Rapporteur on the Independence of Judges and Lawyers, Gabriela Knaul, urged the Argentine Government to review the bills on the Magistrates Council reform and ruling of the cautionary measures, approved by the Lower House last week.

Knaul classified “selection of Magistrates Council members via political parties” and “limits to the cautionary measures” as bills that “contradict with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).”

“The State has the responsibility to ensure the independence of the judiciary by respecting its laws and international standards,” stressed the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers.

“By providing the opportunity for political parties to propose and organize the election of the directors, the independence of the Magistrates Council is put at risk, which seriously compromises the principles of separation of powers and independence of the judiciary, which are fundamental elements of any democracy and any rule of law,” Ms. Knaul said.

“The provision on partisan election of members of the Magistrates Council is contrary to Article 14 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Basic Principles on the Independence of the judiciary,” Ms. Knaul said.

The draft law also modifies the requirements to be a candidate to become a member of the Council, and reduces the majorities required for the adoption of relevant decisions, including for the removal of judges, with no possibility of appeal.

“I call on Argentina to establish clear procedures and objective criteria for the dismissal and punishment of judges, and to ensure an effective process through which judges can challenge those decisions in order to safeguard judicial independence,” said the Special Rapporteur.

Argentina expressed on Tuesday its “discomfort” over the “unheard of” attitude displayed by the UN Special Rapporteur, Gabriela Knaul, who urged the Cristina Fernández administration to reconsider the Council of Magistrates reform and injunction regulation bills.

 

The Argentine government insisted in its reply that the UN Rapporteur with its release, before receiving Argentina’s reply on her requests “turned the UN into prosecutor, magistrate and executioner of a member country”.

The Foreign ministry release says that the Argentine representation before the international organization in Geneva held a meeting with Jane Connors, head of the Special Procedures Division from the High Commissioner Office for Human Rights “to express its displeasure with the misconduct of the Rapporteur lease” and then states that “the same concern with the improper conduct of the Rapporteur is shared by the High Commissioner’s Office”.

Finally Argentina states that the Rapporteur expresses “ignorance or political partisanship on recommending a participative and inclusive dialogue with the society and juridical community”, because there was feedback from civil society which “proposed and obtained several changes incorporated to the bills in discussion”.

But the judiciary reform which is already partly promulgated in the midst of great controversy in the Argentine Congress, and despite the attack on the US Rapporteur, has been questioned by most of the opposition political arch, magistrates and lawyers groupings plus national and international organizations.

On Tuesday a decree promulgated the law that controls injunctions against the state following last week’s session at the Lower House when the bill was passed amid strong tensions between ruling party and opposition lawmakers.

The 456/2013 decree was published at the official gazette promulgating the controversial law, part of the six-bill package submitted to Congress by President Cristina Fernández with the purpose of “democratization” Argentina’s judiciary system.

US Congress to discuss devastating report on Cristina Fernandez administration

 “Under the corrupt populist government of President Cristina Fernandez Argentina is back on the road to ruin” is the kick off for an extremely critical report to be discussed by the US Congress and which was drafted by Douglas Farah, senior research fellow at the International Assessment and Strategy Centre under the heading of “Back to the future”.

The 64 pages Farah report dates from last February and enumerates some of the most controversial issues of Cristina Fernandez administration: relations with the Teheran regime; change of position regarding the AMIA attack despite the findings from Prosecutor Alberto Nisman which are reproduced in the report; expansion of organized crime, particularly referred to drugs traffic; the shady relations with business people friends of the Kirchner family and power or crony capitalism with special reference to the energy sector, plus attacks on freedom of expression and freedom of the press such as stigmatizing the media and journalists, the use of official publicity and intervening in the newsprint market.

According to the Farah report Cristina Fernandez domestically faces a raft of crises. Inflation has ballooned to an estimated annualized 28%, the highest in Latinamerica. Unemployment is climbing, the flight of capital is accelerating, official corruption is very much extended, the dollar clamp has eroded business opportunities and dozens of international corporations have been forced to abandon Argentina.

The report however is previous to the advance of the Argentine Executive on the Justice branch and system, and the latest major corruption case which has a businessman close to the family and alleged ‘front man’ for former president Nestor Kirchner, exposed as probably the main public works contractor in Patagonia (with a monopoly of different companies) and involved in money laundering to Belize, Caribbean, Panama and Switzerland.

“The government of Cristina Fernandez is facing multiple political and economic crises and has further strengthened her alliances with the US and the region’s democracy major antagonists: Venezuela and Iran”.

Likewise the report states that the growing authoritarianism of Cristina Fernandez and her growing disdain for the rule of law both nationally and internationally puts Argentina on the path to international default and isolation from its most democratic traditional partners, including the US, Brazil, Chile and Colombia.

CFK's Gestapo - Argentine Government Sponsered Thugs - Malvinas radical group begins campaign against Lan Chile offices in Buenos Aires

Tony Lopez from Resistencia Malvinas, who described the campaign against the cruise vessels calling in the Falklands a ‘success’, pledged that every Wednesday at midday the group will be protesting at Lan Chile’s downtown offices demanding that Aerolineas Argentinas takes over the weekly flight to the Islands and that passports be eliminated for Argentine nationals.

This week’s ‘Wednesday protest’ inauguration was not much of a success because Argentine public opinion was concentrated on the judicial reform congressional debate and massive concentrations all over the country rejecting the proposal.

However next week could be different because the protest at Lan’s offices will be taking place on Thursday at midday (Wednesday May first is a national holiday), which coincides with the 31st anniversary of the sinking of the cruiser “General Belgrano” by a British submarine with the loss of 323 lives, Argentina’s single major setback, and which marked the no-return escalation of the Falklands conflict.

In an interview with a local radio, Tony Lopez said that the idea of the Lan ‘siege’ followed the success of the campaign against cruise vessels calling in the Falklands, implementing the Gaucho Rivero Bill, which “was confirmed by the tourism stats released by the Malvinas illegitimate government”.

According to those stats “the cruise season was down 50% over a year ago, because cancellation doubled and the number of visitors was much lower than expected. This was to the benefit of Puerto Madryn and Ushuaia”, argued Tony Lopez.

In this new campaign “we are demanding that Aerolineas Argentinas takes over the weekly flight to Malvinas and from Argentina and that Argentine nationals should not need passports to travel to the Islands, as is the case now”.

The head of Resistencia Malvinas insisted on describing the cruise campaign as a ‘success’ recalling two incidents: when his group attack with stones and sticks against representatives’ offices from British maritime agencies in Argentina, which included the burning of a Union Jack, and when cruise passengers in Buenos Aires were retained by over six hours delaying the departure of the vessel to Montevideo.

Tony Lopez went further and said that following these two incidents and the summoning of Ambassador Alicia Castro in London by the Foreign Office to receive a formal protest, “we became aware we had the full support from the Argentine state”.

In effect, “when summoned to the Foreign Office Ambassador Alicia Castro told (Foreign Secretary William) Hague that the only possible way out to this situation was to begin negotiations over the Malvinas sovereignty”.

“The stones we throw and break windows of the representatives of the Malvinas usurpers in Buenos Aires have a big echo in London”, said Tony Lopez.

Finally regarding passports, he recalled that people travelling between Malvinas and Argentina, based on the understanding of 1971/72 only needed a ‘white card’, because it is not a foreign country, and this is contemplated in international law. This was the case until the 1982 war.

Likewise the validity of such understandings is not erased because of a war and remembered that when President Cristina Fernandez was a Senator she supported a bill which established that the only document valid to travel to Malvinas was the “white card”.

“Let’s hope she recalls that, and follows on her husband’s steps who disavowed the Malvinas fisheries and hydrocarbons understandings with the UK government; she must do the same with the 1999 agreement on communications and have Aerolineas Argentinas take over from Lan Chile”.