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Analyst says British drills in Malvinas complicate situation, but not worth fuss

Xinhua, October 20, 2016 Adjust font size:

The British military drills in the disputed Malvinas Islands, known to the United Kingdom as the Falklands, have complicated bilateral relations but won't lead to risk of military conflict, said a senior Argentine political analyst.

The 9-day military drills which begun on Wednesday was denounced by the Argentine government as "illegal." Argentina claims sovereignty over the disputed Malvinas Islands in the South Atlantic while the islands are controlled politically by Britain.

"I recognize that this probably could have complicated the memorandum of understanding (signed between both sides about the islands)," said international affairs analyst Rosendo Fraga, referring to the bilateral MoU inked in 1998 by Argentina and Britain to solve their disputes on the islands in the principles of cooperation and reciprocity.

Vice-chancellor Carlos Foradori presented a note to British Ambassador to Argentina Mark Kent on Friday "with a formal and energetic objection to the aforementioned military drills, demanding that they (Britain) refrain from holding them, at the same time informing Secretary-General of the United Nations of the situation."

Meanwhile, Fraga said on Wednesday in an interview with Xinhua that the drills are routine and should not worry Argentina too much.

"Britain performs these exercises annually, always around this time of the year. Possibly the Malvinas are today the most important field in the world for British forces to carry out maneuvers. Since the war in 1982, Britain has established an important military base, and in this context it performs this exercise annually," said the analyst.

Buenos Aires and London, whose relations have been marred in the past years by the differences surrounding the sovereignty of the Malvinas Islands, decided to relaunch bilateral relations with a focus on "things that unite" both administrations.

An international business and investment forum was convened by Argentina last month in an attempt to renew links between the two nations.

During the forum, Alan Duncan, British Minister of State for Europe and the Americas said that, "the United Kingdom wants to develop a relation with Argentina in a very, very positive and prosperous way," with political and economic agendas that would unite both sides.

"Neither Argentina nor the UK today intend to use arms to settle a conflict. In the diplomatic arena, Argentina has obtained favorable resolutions by the United Nations," said Fraga, adding, "I really believe that there is no risk of military conflict in the South Atlantic at this time." Endi