Copy of Falkland Islands Government Press Release,
Friday, June 15th, 2012 at 1:58 pm
President Kirchner refuses invitation to talk
to people of the Falkland IslandsThe Falkland Islands Government is “incredibly disappointed” that despite claims of only wanting to sit down and discuss the Falkland Islands, President Kirchner has refused to accept an invitation Falkland Islands Government to do just that.
Yesterday afternoon, following the meeting of the UN Decolonisation Committee in New York, President Kirchner refused to accept a letter from the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly inviting the Argentine Government to meet and listen to the views of the Falkland Islands people.
Member of the Legislative Assembly Mike Summers yesterday closed his address to the Committee by saying:
“I have a letter from the Government of the Falkland Islands, which invites the Government of the Republic of Argentina to sit down and listen to the views of the people of the Falkland Islands, and enter into a dialogue, designed to find ways to co-operate in matters of mutual interest, and to preserve the environment of the South West Atlantic to the benefit of future generations of Falkland Islanders and Argentines, as we did before the on-set of sanctions by Argentina against our people. I invite the Argentine delegation to allow me to approach their table in order to hand over the letter”
Unable to reach President Kirchner, MLA Summers attempted to hand the letter to the Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timmerman. Timmerman refused to accept the letter.
MLA Gavin Short, spokesperson for the Legislative Assembly said:
“We are incredibly disappointed that the President of Argentina refused to accept an invitation from the Falklands Island Government to sit down and discuss the Falkland Islands.
“This is representative of the Argentine Government’s policy towards the Falkland Islands people – to ignore us, to deny our human rights, and to deny our rights as a people to determine their own future.”
Notes to Editors:
The full text of the letter is available from:
http://www.falklands.gov.fk/assembly/documents/C24LetterPresKirchner.docFull transcript of MLA Summers speech to the UN Decolonisation Committee can be found here:
http://www.falklands.gov.fk/assembly/documents/C24 speech 2012- Hon Mike Summers OBE.docFull transcript of MLA Edwards speech to the UN Decolonisation Committee can be found here:
http://www.falklands.gov.fk/assembly/documents/C24 speech 2012- Hon Roger Edwards.doc
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