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Nick Tozer's "Bundle of Ideas"
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From: Nora Femenia <femenia@ibm.net>
Date: 01 Feb 1999 15:49:25 -0500
Message-ID: <eng.19990201154925@FM-Forum-Archives>
Message:
Falklands-Malvinas News
Mercopress News Agency 02/02/99
"Bundle of ideas"
A "bundle of ideas" that includes declaring the Darwin cemetery Argentine territory with a flag flying and even a representative, in exchange for the dropping of Buenos Aires' claim over the islands and assurances for the Islands self government, was the essence of a unofficial presentation to solve the long standing sovereignty dispute made by visiting Anglo-argentine journalist Nicholas Tozer to three Councillors.
Taking advantage of the fact he was covering for the Argentine press agency DYN the January visit of Argentines next-of-kin to the Darwin cemetery, Mr. Tozer met privately with Michael Summers, Lewis Clifton and Richard Cockwell and submitted the "ideas", that apparently had the clearance from the Argentine Foreign Affairs Ministry, although Mr. Di Tella himself in
London remarked the ideas did not originate in Argentina.
"There is not such a proposal but I thought it was an interesting series of ideas which we should analyse. But we did not produce them. It the proposal is put to us we will analyse the merits with great care before giving any answer", Mr. Di Tella told MP correspondent Graham Bound in London.
The ideas were finally put forward at a public meeting in Stanley that had a record turn out and quiet a bit of uncommon interruptions from the audience.
The ideas, not proposals, rather a "bunch of ideas" according to Councillor Clifton were headed:Recovery of territory by Argentina
An Argentine presence with a flag
The dropping of the Argentine claim
Continuing Falklands self government
Argentina promotes the Falklands to host the Antarctic Treaty SecretariatCouncillor Clifton explained that the recovery of territory involves the Argentine cemetery being declared sovereign Argentine territory, -in effect Malvinas- with a flag flying. In the terms of the Malvinas Territory there would be provision for an Argentine presence in the form of an Argentine representative.
Clifton said that this scenario could be likened to situations such as the Vatican City enjoys in Rome or the French enjoy on St. Helena in terms of the form of Napoleon's presence.
The Malvinas (cemetery) would have associated statehood with Argentina, the Falklands would continue to have statehood with the United Kingdom, trading and commerce linkage would be from Malvinas with Mercosur, and the Islands would continue to enjoy its trading status with the European Union.
Argentina would then drop its claim internationally and Constitutionally, and Buenos Aires as part of the deal would actively seek for the Islands to be the seat for the Antarctic Treaty Secretariat.
A plebiscite would occur in the Islands prior to the ratification of the treaty between the United Kingdom and Argentina, that would have co-involvement of the United States, United Nations and Vatican.
During the public meeting Councillor revealed that a similar "bunch of ideas" had been forwarded by Conservative Minister David Davies in the early nineties.
Nevertheless Councillors indicated that if the ideas were to become proposals, they should be addressed to the local legislature via the Foreign Office.
Councillor Summers said that the British government was aware of the "ideas", since Councillors informed Mr. Cook prior to his meeting with Dr. Di Tella in London.
When asked Councillors insisted they are under no pressure from the British government to engage in talks with Argentina, although Richard Cockwell repeated his belief to the contrary.
Finally it was Councillor Summers who brought some reassurance to the public meeting since the whole issue of the "bunch of ideas", seems to have given the impression that Councillors appeared "dangerously divided on the subject of the Falklands and Argentina".
"We are only divided on the tactics...not in the fundamentals", stressed Mike Summers.
Follow Ups:
bundle of ideas
From: Lewis Clifton <dlclifton@horizon.co.fk>
Date: 02 Feb 1999 18:07:25 -0500
Message-ID: <eng.19990202180725@FM-Forum-Archives>
In-Reply-To: Nick Tozer's "Bundle of Ideas" - by Nora Femenia, 01 Feb 1999 15:49:25 -0500
Message:
Nora
I commend you on your reporting. I could not, as a receipient of the "bundle", have recorded it better. But then we both know, that some of these ideas have been around for a long time, and I was at pains to point this out to the assembled audience. Some of those ideas have featured in other, earlier bundles, and a great many of them have been debated at the academic level for a great many years. We should not be surprised that such ideas come to the fore from time to time. It is a sign of maturity that such ideas can be openly debated in a rational and civilised form.
If you missed something it was to report on the open letter penned by two of my political colleagues, Councillors Edwards and Luxton, in the Penguin News that week, in which they said, that for them it was "back to first principles".
There is only one principle and this is Falkland Islanders "right to self-determination". Falklands politicians have not moved beyond that position, and have no intention of so doing. The open letter served, in my view, only to indicate a movement away from that principle and to return to it. Nothing could be further from the truth. But I look foward, in time, to Argentina's acceptance of our right.
I hope to return to the pages of your forum as time permits.
Meanwhile, saludos
Lewis
This page has been mirrored on the SAC website. Just one comment, from Lewis Clifton, has been copied, which is important because it endorses the accuracy of the original report.