Showdown in the South Atlantic?

The long forgotten Falkland Islands, deep in the South Atlantic, have again regained the spotlight as Argentina presses its political case at the United Nations reviving its perennial political dispute with Britain.

Argentina's Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana met with Secretary General Ban Ki-moon to press for U.N. political involvement in the dispute.

The Minister later told correspondents that the islands, which it calls Las Malvinas, are an integral part of Argentine territory. Tensions rose recently when British companies started drilling for oil in the nearby waters.

Claiming sovereignty, Argentina's military government invaded the Falklands in 1982 prompting a powerful military response by Britain. Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher showing both leadership and iron resolve to safeguard the tiny territory boldly launched a naval task force which sailed 8,000 miles deep into the South Atlantic to recapture the islands from the Argentine occupiers.

At the time I recall writing a column “The Empire Strikes Back.”

Now a quarter century later the Falkland/Malvinas issue is ricocheting round the halls of the U.N.

The left-wing Argentine government is mired in a deep economic crisis.

President Christina Fernandez de Kirchner, playing on the traditional Peronist populism and buffo nationalism, has decided to turn up the political heat on a long simmering Anglo/Argentine dispute. Senora Kirchner, whose government was pounded by the opposition in legislative elections last year, needs a nationalist rallying point.

The Falklands/Malvinas provide just such an issue.

Though 300 miles off the coast of Argentina, the Falklands themselves are home to only 3,000 people who overwhelmingly wish to remain British.

The windswept islands are best known for their sheep and penguins.

At issue is oil, and specifically that United Kingdon firms have sent rigs to start exploring for petroleum. This makes the Malvinas far more interesting to an Argentine government in fiscal and economic shambles. A bountiful and beautiful country, Argentina sadly has often had to endure bad government.

Minister Taiana stressed that Argentina was determined to exert sovereignty over the islands “because they are part of the Argentine territory” even if a majority of inhabitants there wanted to remain British.

In cases like this I always advise, “look at the other guy's map.”

1|2|Next Page>>

SharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email