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.

South Georgia ‘area’ will be surveyed by Argentine scientific research vessel

Argentina’s scientific research vessel “Dr. Eduardo L. Holmberg” left on Friday from Mar del Plata for the South Georgia area for a thirty day cruise in the framework of the Convention for the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources, CCAMLR, reports the Foreign Ministry from Buenos Aires.

The cruise with fourteen Argentine scientists will be working on a research project jointly elaborated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, through the INIDEP, the National Institute for Fisheries Research and Development, and the Argentine Antarctic Institute which depends from the Foreign ministry.

“The campaign is in the framework of CCALMR, and in line with Decree 2116/1990 on national Antarctica policy which gives priority to scientific research linked to data on the environment and fisheries resources with the purpose of promoting conservation”, says the release.

“The main purpose is to obtain an estimate of the abundance and state of demersal species’ populations particularly ice fish, as well as collect material for environmental and histology studies of fish and benthonic invertebrates”.

The release affirms that the coordinated inter-institutional work will allow for better data collection and scientific research of the platform as well as assessing species populations and counting with the necessary information for Argentina’s presentations in different international forums.

Finally the campaign is clear evidence of Argentina’s “high commitment with the conservation of living resources in the South Atlantic in the framework of CCAMLR”
 

Falklands’ referendum and self-determination receive support from US Congress

United States Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart released a statement after introducing a House Resolution recognizing the Falkland Islands referendum which was held March 10/11 with an overwhelming turnout and result.

“I commend the residents of the Falkland Islands for freely expressing their view on the political status of the Islands. As Americans, we have long cherished the principle of self-determination, and stand in solidarity with the Islanders in their choice to retain their status as a British Overseas Territory.

”The resolution I introduced along with my colleagues acknowledges that the referendum results are a clear expression of how the Islanders want to be governed, and urges that future dialogue over the Falkland Islands should include the views and wishes of the Falkland Islanders themselves.

“The small Islands’ community in the South Atlantic seeks to continue living peacefully and further expanding their economy. I urge my colleagues and the international community to respect the overwhelming results of the referendum and honour the right of self-determination for free people.”

Member of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly Mike Summers, accompanied by Penguin News journalist Teslyn Barkman, recently met with the congressman during a tour of the US and the Caribbean promoting the results of the recent referendum. Miss Barkman said, “Congressman Diaz-Balart was very sympathetic to the Falklands cause when we met with him in Miami in March.”

Congressmen Bordallo (D-GU), Campbell (R-CA), Faleomavaega (D-AS), Griffith (R-VA), Hall (R-TX), Higgins (D-NY), Holding (R-NC), Marchant (R-TX), McIntyre (D-NC), Petri (R-WI), Roskam (R-IL), Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Ryan (D-OH), and Sensenbrenner (R-WI) Poe (R-TX) joined as original co-sponsors.

Mario Diaz-Balart is currently fulfilling his sixth term in the US House of Representatives. At the beginning of the 112th Congress, congressman Diaz-Balart was asked to serve on one of the most prestigious committees: House Committee on Appropriations. As part of the House Committee on Appropriations, he sits on three of its subcommittees: Vice-Chair of Financial Services, State and Foreign Operations, and Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Related Agencies.

Argentina celebrates Africa’s 54 countries support for Malvinas sovereignty

Africa’s fifty four countries joined South America “in recognizing the legitimate sovereignty rights of Argentina over the Malvinas, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands and the adjoining maritime spaces”, announced the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a communiqué in reference to the so called Declaration of Malabo, capital of Equatorial Guinea. 

The African countries position reflected in the Malabo declaration was born out of the III Summit of South American and African countries which was held during two days precisely in Malabo.

The declaration also includes Argentina’s claim condemning hedge funds (‘vulture funds’) and measures to promote cooperation South to South programs and projects among the two regions.

The Argentine ministry in the release underlines that the “document is a diplomatic victory for our country since it is the first time that the whole of Africa joins our continent in declaring legitimate the rights of the Argentine Republic in the sovereignty dispute over the Falkland Islands”.

The declaration also calls on “the UK to resume negotiations with Argentina for a fair, peaceful and definitive solution to the dispute, as soon as possible and in conformity with the relevant resolutions from the UN and other regional and international organizations”

Foreign minister Hector Timerman thanked at Equatorial Guinea the solidarity from the leaders and Foreign ministers whom participated at the III summit of South America-Africa (ASA) and pointed out that “Africa is currently a priority for Argentina’s foreign policy”.

The statement is supported by the fact that the administration of President Cristina Fernandez had decided to re-open and open several diplomatic legations in Africa and specifically mentioned Ethiopia and Mozambique.

The first ASA Summit was held in Abuja, Nigeria, November 30, 2006, while the second, on Isla Margarita, Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, September 27, 2009.

Article 26 of the declaration refers to the Falklands:

26. We recognize the legitimate rights of the Argentine Republic in the sovereignty dispute over the Malvinas Islands, South Georgias and South Sandwich Islands, and the surrounding maritime areas, and urge the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to resume negotiations with the Argentine Republic in order to find, as soon as possible, a fair, peaceful and definitive solution to the dispute, in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the United Nations and other regional and international organizations.

Article 58 refers to the ‘vulture funds’:

58. We reiterate that financial reform should aim to facilitate that investments are channelled to development objectives and not to speculative activities. We support a reduction in the mechanical dependency on the Credit Rating Agencies, an increase in their transparency, accountability and competition amongst them. Furthermore, we recognize the need to tackle tax havens, which facilitate tax evasion, corruption and criminal activities and offer an operating base to vulture funds. Finally, we emphasize the need to put limits to the action of these funds in order to avoid that their behaviour jeopardize the international financial stability
 

UK sees Security Council with “no appetite” to address Falklands issue

The United Kingdom said it did not see ‘any appetite’ from the UN Security Council members to address the Falklands/Malvinas issue, following the election of Argentina as one of the five new non permanent members to the council on Thursday.

“I think the Security Council has a large agenda of serious and pressing issues of international peace and security. We don’t see any appetite among other Council members to have that issue raised in the Council”, said Ambassador Philip Parham, Chargé D’Affaires of the UK mission to the UN.

Ambassador Parham made the statement following the UN General Assembly vote on the new five Council members: Argentina, Rwanda, Australia, Luxembourg and South Korea. Argentina was the country which had the greatest support, 182 votes out of the 193 UN members and ran unopposed in her group.

The arrival of Argentina to the UN council for two years beginning next January coincides with growing tension with the UK over the Falklands sovereignty dispute, and forecasted to worsen not only because of the 30th anniversary this year of the South Atlantic conflict but because of the dynamic development of the oil and gas industry in the Islands waters.

Earlier in the week Argentina formally presented a complaint before the Security Council relative to the alleged ‘militarization’ of the South Atlantic with regular exercises involving launching missiles from the Falklands. UK argues the exercises are routine since the end of the conflict in 1982 when Argentina invaded the Islands.

Nevertheless Ambassador Parham said the UK wants to work closely with Argentina on many issues of common interest.

“We look forward also to working closely with Argentina as we do in many other fora on issues, for example, non-proliferation and human rights”, said the UK diplomat welcoming Argentina to the Security Council.

Ambassador Parham also made a brief statement welcoming the newly elected non permanent members recalling Luxembourg will be joining the Council for the first time, “a founder member of the UN joins the Council for the first time and is member who makes a disproportionate contribution to the UN work”.

Australia has made historic contributions to international peace and security such as the Cambodia peace agreements and currently, to stabilisation in Afghanistan. Australia returns to the Council for the first time since 1986.

“Rwanda will bring to the Council the particular perspective of a country that has overcome serious conflict and has done so more successfully than many. We look forward to working with them on issues of international peace and security, including the efforts to try to end the cycle of violence in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo”.

And finally the Republic of Korea will join the Council “as a significant international actor, one that’s making major contributions to the work of the United Nations”.

HMS Protector catches stunning sonar imagery and bathymetric survey off St Helena

The Royal Navy Ice patrol HMS Protector heading for another Antarctic season previous visit to South Africa and Falkland Islands has produced stunning sonar imagery of the wreck of a wartime RFA tanker to help salvage experts study the state of it.

 The Ice patrol in on her way to Falklands and Antarctica (Photo: MoD)

Sailors also held a service of remembrance for Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Darkdale, which was lost with nearly all hands when torpedoed in 1941 off the tiny South Atlantic island of St Helena.

In 1941, St Helena served as an important staging post in the war against the U-boats in the South Atlantic. Darkdale arrived off the island that summer, providing fuel for passing Royal Navy warships such as carrier HMS Eagle and cruiser HMS Dorsetshire.

The tanker was anchored off the island's capital Jamestown on the night of 21/22 October when she was struck by at least three torpedoes fired by Germany's seventh-highest-scoring U-boat ace, Korvettenkapitän Karl-Friedrich Merten, in U-68.

Darkdale exploded, turned over and sank almost immediately, taking 41 men aboard down with her; only two men, who where on deck and blown clear by the blast, survived. The wreck may still hold a significant amount of fuel oil which, if discharged, could have an adverse environmental impact on the island.

The wreck is currently being examined by the salvage and marine operations arm of the MOD's Defence Equipment and Support organisation to assess its state and potential environmental impact.

The accurate positioning of what remains of the tanker will be used for any future monitoring and salvage work that may be required.

As is tradition in the Royal Navy, time was also taken to hold an act of remembrance over the wreck, after Protector's divers had visited the wreck to lay a Union Flag on it: “It was a great privilege to be able to play a small part in remembering those that played such a big part in making Britain and the Royal Navy what it is today,” said Leading Diver Chris Hayes.

During her short visit, the ship also took the opportunity to carry out further bathymetric and shore survey work in the Jamestown area, including an entire circumnavigation of the island which will help to produce more up-to-date charts, making it safer for other ships and boats to visit.

Captain Peter Sparkes and his crew of 65 also took the opportunity to host the island's dignitaries and give a tour of the ship to a group of local children.

There was also time for the crew to step ashore, visit the local tourist hot spots, such as Napoleon's residence in exile, climb the 699 steps of 'Jacob's Ladder' and sample some local hospitality. The football match between the ship's team and islanders resulted in a thumping 8-0 defeat for the 'Ice Men'.

The island's governor Mark Capes - who's also responsible for the other remote South Atlantic British territories of Ascension Island and Tristan da Cunha - sent a message of thanks to the Portsmouth-based survey ship:

“The loyal and proudly British community of St Helena was delighted to see HMS Protector arrive in James Bay. The visit reinforced all the positive messages that Her Majesty's Government remains committed to helping to ensure the security and prosperity of St Helena.”

Protector is bound for Antarctica to spend a second Austral summer surveying the waters around the frozen continent and providing support to scientists.

Before her first stint amongst the ice she's calling in on Simon's Town in South Africa to carry out last-minute maintenance and work to ensure the 5,000-tonne icebreaker is ready for the rigours of Antarctica:

“It is always good to visit the home of another nation's navy - especially one that has a rich history of association with the Royal Navy,” said Captain Sparkes.

“I hope Protector's visit can reaffirm the strong professional and operational bonds that already exist between the Royal Navy and South African Navy.”

Protector will be in Simon's Town for around ten days before paying a courtesy visit to Tristan da Cunha, surveying the waters around the island, and then moving on to Antarctica.

ARA Libertad conflict forces the resignation of the Argentine navy chief

The ARA Libertad conflict retained in Ghana has a new victim: Argentina’s Navy chief of staff Admiral Carlos Alberto Paz tendered his resignation and was replaced by his deputy Vice-Admiral Daniel Alberto Martin.

 Vice-Admiral Martin was involved in the Falklands conflict with the ‘Santa Fe’ submarine

Admiral Paz resignation was tendered before Minister of Defence Arturo Puriceili after it was announced that two Navy officers had been relieved from their command and an investigation was opened to determine responsibilities in the decision to make the ARA Libertad frigate dock in the Tema port.

Vice-admiral Martin was designated by President Cristina Fernández and confirmed by Presidential spokesman Alfredo Scoccimarro at the Government House on Monday afternoon.

Martín was born in Quilmes, Buenos Aires province, on September 27, 1955. After studying at the Navy Lyceum “Almirante Guillermo Brown,” he graduated as Midshipman at the Army and Navy Academy.

He later specialized at the Submarines School and became an expert in submarine warfare and arms. He becomes the first submariner to occupy the highest post in the Argentine navy.

During the Falklands’ conflict he was part of the “Santa Fe” submarine crew that participated at the “Rosario” operation landing Argentine marines to invade the Islands on April 1982 and later supplying the occupied South Georgia base.

He was sent to the Argentine Embassy at the South African Republic in 2005 and 2006, where he worked as Defence, Naval, Army and Aeronautical Assistant.

The ARA Santa Fe was a Balao-class submarine which was lost during the Falklands conflict. Built during the Second World War, the submarine served in United States Navy as USS Catfish before being commissioned into the Argentine Navy in 1971. She served until 1982 when she was captured by the British at South Georgia after being seriously damaged and subsequently sank alongside a pier, with just her sail visible above the waterline. The submarine was raised, towed out of the bay and scuttled in deep waters in 1985.

The Americas Defence ministers’ conference divided on Falklands/Malvinas issue

Argentina’s sovereignty claim over the Falklands/Malvinas Islands continues to generate discrepancies among countries of the Americas, as was exposed in the Declaration of Punta del Este, at the end of the X Conference of Defence Ministers of the Americas which took place in Uruguay.

Uruguayan Defence minister Fernandez Huidobro, “it remains a very controversial issue”

“The Malvinas issue is still very controversial for the Americas” admitted on Wednesday Uruguay’s Minister of Defence Eleuterio Fernandez Huidobro pro-tempore president and host of the event.

The Falklands/Malvinas issue and a peace zone in the South Atlantic, despite not being part of the official agenda of the meeting, was addressed by an ad hoc committee that held ‘long discussions’ during the four day meeting in an attempt to bring closer the different positions.

Nevertheless Argentina managed to include two articles in the final declaration on the issue, although 15 of the 34 countries from the Americas expressed some “degree of safeguard or reserve”.

All members agreed to subscribe Article 19 of the Declaration which points out that “in the framework of the peaceful character of the Americas continent nations, they express their willingness to promote peace and cooperation in the South Atlantic”.

This was followed by “recognition” of the “importance” of this year’s OAS AG/Dec70 declaration which “decided to continue examining the Malvinas Islands issue until its definitive solution, underlining that this is an issue of standing hemispheric interest”.

Regarding this text Argentina, Bolivia, Brasil, Ecuador, Guyana, Nicaragua, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela expressed “concern” over the “growing militarization” of the South Atlantic and exercises which include “firing missiles” as the ones taking place in the Malvinas Islands.

They also reiterated their “strong support” for the “legitimate rights” of Argentina in the sovereignty dispute over the Islands and the surrounding maritime spaces.

Chile, Colombia and Mexico coincided in the “support” to Argentine sovereignty claims over the Malvinas but with no reference to the “militarization of the South Atlantic” which is attributed to the UK.

The US pointed out that the Falklands/Malvinas issue does not correspond to the Defence ministers of the Americas forum, and Canada openly dissented with the inclusion of the paragraph arguing that it is a “bilateral issue” and underlined that the “population of the Falkland Islands have the right to determine their own future”.

The Declaration of Punta del Este also referred to the member-countries ‘conviction’ that democratic institutions are the “fundamental pillars” to achieve peace, security, social equality and development in the hemisphere countries.

They also pointed out the importance of cooperation in defence and security issues “to address the new challenges” and their support to measures that strengthen institutional capacities together with the commitment to update the inter-American defence system.

The need to modernize the Inter-American Reciprocal Assistance Treaty, (TIAR) going back to 1947 as well as the Inter-American Defence Board (JID), were the two issues of “ongoing strong debate” and with visions “quite distant” according to sources at the discussions.

In the final declaration the two visions were reflected in the request to the OAS Permanent Council ‘to program and advance”, with the participation of Defence ministries, of meetings “to discuss the future of the mission and functions” of the Inter-American defence system including the JID.

Ministers also pledged “to expand the dissemination process” of international humanitarian Law and human rights through “doctrine, training and education”, whatever the case, among the Armed and Security forces.

Finally the delegates of the 28 participants out of 34 country members voted for Peru to take over the pro tempore presidency of the eleventh defence ministers conference to be held in that country in 2014.