Argentina calls British presence in the South Atlantic unacceptable
Havana, April 18 (RHC) – Argentinian Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero denounced the British military presence in the South Atlantic as unacceptable and said it violates the practices of multilateralism and International Law.
According to a statement from the Foreign Ministry, when speaking at the 8th Ministerial Meeting of the Zone of Peace and Cooperation of the South Atlantic, the minister denounced the illegal occupation of the Malvinas Islands by the United Kingdom since 1833 and the British refusal to return to the negotiating table.
Cafiero thanked the member states of that forum for their support, which urged London to respect the resolutions of the United Nations Organization and accept dialogue to find a peaceful, just and lasting solution to the sovereignty dispute.
The participants in the meeting also expressed their concern about unauthorized hydrocarbon exploration activities and the reinforcement of the military presence in that area.
The Argentinian minister also pointed out the importance of the zone being free of foreign military forces and nuclear weapons.
“The South Atlantic is a geostrategic space. We express it taking into account the importance, quantity and quality of the natural resources of that region. We support it by considering it an indispensable navigation route for international trade. These are two key factors for the world and for those of us who make up the Zone”.
“The growing competition between powerful countries implies a certain and concrete risk that the tensions between them will be transferred there. We must avoid it at all costs”.
After a decade of not holding meetings of this type, the 8th Meeting brought together authorities from 24 countries in the city of Mindelo to achieve the reactivation of the Zone, the transfer of the pro tempore presidency from Uruguay to Cape Verde, and the adoption of a political declaration and a new action plan. (Source: Prensa Latina)
