What the British press published about the Malvinas / Falklands conflict?
The Times has published as principal subject, the Falklands conflict, and in its online website the headline was: “Argentina has chosen a good time to rattle the Falklands” and they reported: “Argentina’s political establishment, its media and its people still value sovereignty over “Las Malvinas” most highly, while the UK’s interests in the area are now larger and more clearly economic than in 1982, including the potential of new oil and gas reserves”.
And they added: “As Argentina’s Government has doubtless calculated, the UK’s Armed Forces now do not have the financial capacity, manpower and equipment to defend the Falklands. Argentina will also have assumed that our Government does not have the consent of its citizens for more soldier deaths”.
The Guardian published: “Argentina has demanded an immediate cessation of the British drilling for oil and gas that started this week, terming it “the latest illegitimate and unilateral actions by the UK”. The next step would be to table a resolution at the UN general assembly.
The UN has called for talks between Britain and Argentina but has little power to intervene without the backing of the security council, where the UK would be able to veto substantive resolutions.
Buenos Aires scored a diplomatic victory on Monday when it turned a summit of 32 countries in Mexico into a platform to accuse Britain of flouting international law by permitting drilling.
Argentina presented a statement quoting the Mexican president, Felipe Calderón, as saying that “the heads of state represented here reaffirm their support for the legitimate rights of the republic of Argentina in the sovereignty dispute with Great Britain.”
Daily Mail: “Argentina has long disputed sovereignty of the Falkland Islands – known as Las Malvinas in Latin America – having fought and lost a war over them in 1982. The issue had been relatively calm until a British oil exploration company recently announced drilling plans there”.
Daily Telegraph: “The Obama administration’s decision to remain neutral in the dispute between Great Britain and Argentina over the Falkland Islands is a shameful decision that will go down very badly across the Atlantic. AsThe Times has just reported, Washington has point blank refused to support British sovereignty over the Falklands, and is adopting a strictly neutral approach”.