No.96 April 2009 Falklands team to India for Commonwealth Youth Games A team of fi ve young people represented shooters produced very respectable perform- competitors is the chance to make friends the Falkland Islands at the 2008 Common- ances. and useful contacts and to experience a wealth Youth Games held in Pune India in As well as competing the youngsters were different culture. October. able to visit Pune Secondary School as part Continue on page 16. Team Manager Steve Dent said despite the of the Bond Forever programme within the youths competing in day temperatures of games. Above: Falklands young people and almost 40 degrees C and high humidity the Steve said as with all international competi- helpers at the opening ceremony. team of three badminton players and two tions of this type one of the benefi ts to the Photograph by Steve Dent. Falkland Islands Editorial by FIA Chairman David Tatham CMG Association Newsletter Friends and neighbours Published by the Falkland Islands “WE make our friends;” wrote pre-confl ict Argentine govern- Association, G K Chesterton, “we make our ments and the more enlight- Falkland House, enemies; but God makes our ened and forward thinking 14 Broadway, next door neighbour”. of Foreign Minister Guido di London Falkland Islanders must Tella in the 1990s. There is no SW1H OBH sometimes feel that the Al- longer any pretence in Buenos Tel 0845 260 4884 mighty dealt them a poor hand Aires that consideration need ISSN 0262-9399 in the neighbour stakes. Ar- be taken of the views of the gentina is the seventh largest Islanders, that they should be EDITED BY: country in the world; it was wooed, (despite the early pro- Ms Lisa Johnston, once one of the richest, before nouncements of foreign Min- SeAled PR its political class got to work ister Bielsa in the early days of Brandon Road on its economy. And yet it pur- the Nestor Kirchner govern- Stanley sues its territorial obsession ment that Argentina needed Falkland Islands with the Falkland Islands on to make itself attractive to sense, surely it should also be Tel +500 22432 the basis of a historical claim the people of the Falkland Is- [email protected] which becomes more fragile right to co-operate with the lands). They are simply seen the more closely you study largest neighbour, Argentina? as of no consequence and now EDITORIAL it and without regard for the So indeed it should. But co- that there is no prospect that COMMITTEE right to self-determination for operation of any sort with Ar- they can be attracted to Ar- Ms Cindy Buxton (Chair) all peoples set down in the UN gentina seems to become more gentina by material advantage, Mr David Tatham CMG Convention on Civil and Po- not less diffi cult as the years because the Islanders are con- Mr D G Ainslie litical Rights. pass. Of course there is the Ar- siderably richer and the Argen- Major R Spafford At a recent lunch with a gentine sovereignty claim – it tines relatively poorer, the only Mrs M Christie is diffi cult to enjoy good rela- Mr Saul Pitaluga lobby group which aims to function the Falklands serve in improve British/Argentine tions with a powerful neigh- current Argentine politics is to ADVERTISING relations, I was asked why bour who claims your house provide a rallying cry for the Full page £250 Islanders could not see them- and indeed writes the claim more extreme nationalists. Half page £125 selves as part of the South into his constitution. But the The Americans say that Quarter page £65 American region. It was a sub- “sovereignty umbrella” formu- “good fences make good Eighth page £35 ject I was happy to hold forth la was designed by diplomats neighbours”: it is diffi cult to Short insert £3 on. For relations between the to allow working relations to see how those who deny that per line Falkland Islands and their two continue normally without fences even exist can ever be other neighbours – Chile and prejudicing either side’s claim described as good neighbours. Uruguay – have always been to sovereignty. Why can it no But in due course no doubt good and are currently becom- longer operate? the present Argentine govern- ing closer. The airlink with The answer is that the two ment will be succeeded by Santiago now operates once Kirchner governments, his and one more reasonable and more a week and offers an excel- hers, have ceased to be inter- neighbourly. It should then lent addition to the Ministry of ested in neighbourly relations be possible to resume co-op- Defence airbridge. There are with the Islands. Co-operation eration in fi sheries and in off- shipping links to Punta Are- from which both sides profi ted shore prospecting. There may nas and Montevideo. Medical in fi sheries and oil exploration be an increase in the fl ow of visits to Santiago are frequent. was abandoned. An interna- visitors and hopefully a pause Release of copyright There is a steady stream of Is- tional agreement with the Brit- in the bullying rhetoric. landers visiting Chile on holi- ish Government designating But just as the invasion of The Editorial Committee day or on their way back to the shared areas for oil explora- 1982 has left its poison, so releases all copyrights on tion was torn up. Argentina the content of the Falkland UK. And Montevideo is the memory of the Kirchners will Islands Newsletter except port of choice for much of the withdrew from joint fi shery cast a shadow in the islands. A on pictures,cartoons and fi shing fl eet operating in the research cruises and the ex- memory that agreements made maps. Other publica- Falklands zone. change of scientifi c informa- with Buenos Aires may easily tions are invited to quote tion on fi sh stocks. Access by freely. There is no doubt that this be torn up, just as money lent traffi c can continue to grow. charter fl ights to the Islands to the Argentine government However, we ask that The UK Falkland Islands was denied and expansion of may not be repaid in full. That quotations are made in Trust has been promoting the internationally scheduled Argentine governments in context and the Falkland service from Chile has been Islands Newsletter closer academic contacts and trouble will always resort to acknowledged as the encouraging agricultural and vetoed. Argentine natural- aggressive nationalism, so that source. commercial links. The south- ists were even forbidden by a secure future can only be ernmost province of Chile their government to exchange based on effective protection, For further information has much in common with the information with Falklands not on previous assurances of turn to inside back page or Conservation. alternatively contact Lisa Falkland Islands in climate good-will. Our Association Johnston or Sarah Clement and geography; both regions The Kirchner approach to the exists to preserve Islanders’ at SeAled PR. rely on cruise ship tourism; Islands is of a piece with their freedom to choose their own both are susceptible to the new abrasive attitude to their near future. But until their nearest PRINTED BY: neighbours in Latin America Platinum Press (UK) Ltd threat of climatic change and neighbour is prepared to allow Tel 0844 880 4722 the vagaries of El Niño, the and indeed to many other them this right, Islanders will ocean current. countries, not least the Unit- continue to need British diplo- Yet if all this co-operation ed States. But it is in marked matic support and the deterrent with Chile and Uruguay makes contrast to the declarations of presence of a British garrison. 2 News - politics The Prime Minister’s New Year’s message to Falkland Islanders Constitution reiterates UK’s commitment to Islanders right to self determination TODAY we’re not only wel- age the Argentine government coming in the New Year, but to co-operate on matters of mu- also a new constitution for “I recognise that, tual interest and concern, such your Islands. as the conservation of fi sheries This constitution both reit- through your full in the south west atlantic, and erates the United Kingdom’s participation in the to build business and commu- commitment to your right to nications links between the self determination and en- constitutional Islands and all other countries hances local democracy and review, you have within the region. We will accountability. I welcome this also make it clear that we want and I recognise that, through shown your to work with Argentina if we your full participation in the unequivocal are to address the world’s fu- constitutional review, you ture needs and problems, from have shown your unequivocal desire to remain fi nance to terrorism, and drugs desire to remain British. British.” to non-proliferation. 2008 has brought enormous We shall discuss all these is- challenges with the downturn wwww.ww. ezilon.comezilon.com sues openly with Argentina. in the global economy. I know but we will, as always, make that your government’s fi nan- it clear in any such discussions cial situation is under pressure, and responsibilities that come Ministry of Defence has been that we have no doubts about and that you are taking steps to with a hydrocarbons sector, be able to deliver a new airbridge the United Kingdom’s sover- fi nd budgetary savings. None they health and safety, secu- contract, with a more regular eignty of the Falkland Islands. of us is immune, and we all rity, or socio-economic. service. I know the impor- There can be no negotiations have to do our best to plan But extraction is still a far- tance of this airbridge to your on the sovereignty of your against further shocks to the off and uncertain prospect.