No. 102 April 2012 IINSIDENSIDE FFalklandsalklands nnewsews ppeopleeople ppoliticsolitics ssportport ooilil aandnd mmineralsinerals cconservationonservation fi sshinghing aagriculturegriculture ttourismourism RAF Search and Rescue pilot Flt Lt Wales, more often known as Prince William completed a six week tour of the Falklands in February/March 2012. Flt Lt Wales pictured here at work at Mount Pleasant Airport. Photo: HQBFSAI Falkland Islands Editorial by FIA Chair Alan Huckle Association Newsletter Should be for Falkland Islanders to Published by: The Falkland Islands determine their own political future Association, IT was only to be expected They could in theory rec- outside Falklands waters Falkland House, that the Argentine Govern- ommend a reduced military has reduced certain fi sh London ment would increase their presence on the Islands. stocks in the SW Atlantic to SW1H OBH rhetoric in the run-up to the So how could this be con- critical levels. 30th anniversary of their sidered provocative? But everything is bedevil- Tel 0845 260 4884 invasion of the Falkland In contrast, it is the Ar- led by the Argentine asser- ISSN 0262-9399 Islands in 1982. Yet their gentine Government under tion of its sovereignty claim. attempt to portray the UK the Kirchners that has been It might seem reasonable Edited by: Government as increas- raising the political tem- for those not involved on a Lisa Watson ingly militaristic, even bel- perature over the Falklands day-to-day basis on Falk- Penguin News ligerent, in defence of the since they came to power. lands issues to call for Stanley Falklands is hardly credible. They have withdrawn from discussions on resolving Falkland Islands Certainly, the UK Govern- previous agreements set the sovereignty impasse. editor@penguinnews. ment maintains a military up to promote dialogue But the Argentine Govern- co.fk base in the Falklands. But and co-operation in areas ment’s sole aim is to make it was only put there after of mutual interest; they the Islands Argentine. Editorial Committee 1982 to deter against any have stopped charter fl ights That’s in their Constitution. Ms Cindy Buxton (Chair) further Argentine attempt to originating in Argentina or They do not acknowledge Mr Alan Huckle take the Falklands by force. passing through Argentine the Falkland Islands Gov- Mr David Tatham CMG Indeed, to refl ect current airspace from going to the ernment and ignore the Mr David Ainslie circumstances, the British Falklands and are seeking wishes of the Falkland Is- Mr Allan White military presence on the to control shipping in the landers and the principle Mrs M Christie Islands has been declining same way; they have leg- of self-determination en- Mr Saul Pitaluga not increasing. The number islated to discourage more shrined in the UN Charter. of military personnel and general commercial links Yet what is absolutely clear Advertising: defence-related contrac- with the Falklands and have is that the Falkland Island- Full page £250 tors is currently well below lobbied other South Ameri- ers want to remain British. Half page £125 1,800 persons that used can states to do the same. What is also clear is that Quarter page £65 to be the fi gure. The fact They have even espoused the Falkland Islanders have Eighth page £35 that RAF Typhoon aircraft a ban on trade with the UK. no wish to revert to their Short insert £3 per line replaced the ageing Torna- This is a misguided attempt pre-1982 dependency on dos a couple of years ago at economic pressure, even the Argentines for their only www.i association.com and that HMS Dauntless if it is not yet an effective air link to the South Ameri- is deploying on the regular blockade. can continent. Then they Release of copyright South Atlantic patrol re- The prospect of oil be- had to present Argentine- fl ects more the modernisa- ing commercially exploited issued ‘white cards’ rather The Editorial Committee tion of the armoury avail- around the Falklands is un- than passports to the Ar- releases all copyrights able to the British armed doubtedly one of the cata- gentine authorities whenev- on the content of forces than any UK attempt lysts for all this, aside from er they travelled to and from the Falkland Islands to raise the military stakes. Argentine domestic politics. the Falklands. So it is no Newsletter except on In reality, the UK military Yet Argentine attempts to surprise that Islanders are pictures, cartoons and presence in the Falklands is prevent drilling supplies sceptical, even dismissive, maps. Other publications what is suffi cient to provide from being routed through now of President Kirchner’s are invited to quote a credible deterrent. The South America have had plan to replace the weekly freely. UK is not in the business of little effect. The oil compa- fl ight through Chile with provocation. nies have merely used the three fl ights a week through Howevever, we ask that Yet the Argentine Gov- north-south route direct Buenos Aires. This they see quotations are made in ernment claims exactly that from the UK. In a way, the as just another misguided context and the Falkand over the short-term deploy- Argentine Government has attempt by the Argentine Islands Newsletter ment of Prince William as a missed a trick. But for their Government to exert con- acknowledged as the helicopter rescue pilot. But Government’s position, Ar- trol over the Islands. source. what better place than the gentine companies might What are the implications Falklands, where he is al- have made serious profi t by for the Falkland Islands For further information ways guaranteed a friendly supplying the oil companies Association? As the new turn to the inside back welcome, safe from any involved in the exploration FIA Chairman, it is clear page or alternatively terrorist threat, and more of Falklands waters. Equal- to me that the Association contact the Editor Lisa protected from excessive ly, the Argentine refusal to has much to do, without Watson, who works media intrusion, for him to allow two cruise ships to cutting across the work of from the oi ces of the gain the necessary practi- dock in Ushuaia,merely be- others, to help dispel the Penguin News, Stanley, cal experience of fl ying in cause they had visited the myths and propaganda that Falkland Islands with the challenging weather con- Falklands fi rst, might also the Argentine Government permission of Falkland ditions to save lives? And backfi re on them. puts about and, by raising Islands Media Trust. why on earth should the Both the UK and FI Gov- awareness of what life is Argentine Government ernments would, I am sure, really like in the Falklands, PRINTED BY: complain about a planned still be keen to see a re- to sustain a strong body of Platinum Press (UK) Ltd visit by members of the De- sumption of greater co-op- support for the principle that Tel 0844 880 4722 fence Select Committee? It eration in areas of mutual it should be for the Falkland is, after all, their job to take interest, particularly, for ex- Islanders themselves to de- a critical look at UK military ample, in fi sheries conser- termine their own political expenditure world-wide. vation where over-fi shing future. 2 News - politics Chilean community condemns Argentine threats to airlink MEMBERS of the Falklands’ Chilean community took advantage of the presence of Argentine reporters and cam- era crews in Stanley on February 9. 2012, with a peaceful protest against Argentine threats to the Lan airlink be- tween the Islands and Punta Arenas Chile. Argentine appeal to UN THE Argentine President Islanders wish it.” Cristina Fernández de The US Acting Assistant Kirchner accused Britain of Secretary for Western “militarising” the South Atlantic, Hemisphere Affairs, Roberta in her speech to provincial Jacobson, explained the governors, union leaders, Obama administration’s senators, and deputies from standing on the Falklands the Casa Rosada in Buenos sovereignty issue, which urges Aires on February 7. Argentina and the United Despite expectation and Kingdom to fi nd a diplomatic some concern expressed by exit to the matter. Islanders that her intention was Member of the Falkland to bring about an interruption Islands Legislative Assembly to the airlink between the Argentina bans English ‘pirates’ from the port of Ushuaia Mike Summers said Argentina Falklands and Chile, her was welcome to take the primary point was in fact that world in those resources,” she A summit of leftwing leaders “militarisation” issue to the UN she intended to fi le a complaint said. in Venezuela the week before Security Council and General to the United Nations on the She said, “I want to ask the backed Fernández's campaign Assembly, but they should be issue of the Falklands. British Prime Minister to give as a pan-regional cause. Her aware that as guardians of the She said, “I have instructed peace a chance; give peace a Venezuelan counterpart, Hugo principle of the right to self- our foreign minister to protest chance, not war.” Chávez, said Caracas would determination, that issue would at the UN the militarisation Fernández spoke at the support its ally in a military also be raised in the context of of the South Atlantic which presidential palace in Buenos confl ict. any discussion regarding the implies a grave risk for Aires in front of a large map of A Foreign Offi ce spokesman Falkland Islands. international security, the Falkland Islands painted in said: “The people of the He said if Cristina Fernandez precisely when we see in the blue and white colours of Falkland Islands are British would sincerely like to “give other countries situations that the Argentine fl ag.