Flashermac Posted March 3, 2010 Report Share Posted March 3, 2010 Argentina was celebrating a diplomatic coup yesterday in its attempt to force Britain to accept talks on the future of the Falkland Islands, after a two-hour meeting in Buenos Aires between Hillary Clinton and President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner. Responding to a request from Mrs Kirchner for “friendly mediation†between Britain and Argentina, Mrs Clinton, the US Secretary of State, said she agreed that talks were a sensible way forward and offered “to encourage both countries to sit downâ€Â. Her intervention defied Britain’s longstanding position that there should be no negotiations unless the islands’ 3,000 inhabitants asked for them. It was hailed in Buenos Aires as a major diplomatic victory, but condemned in the Falklands. Britain insisted there was no need for mediation as long as the islanders wanted to remain British. “We don’t think that’s necessary,†a Downing Street spokesman said. ... US officials said privately that British fears of being abandoned by the US over the Falklands were wildly overblown, but any hope on the part of the Administration of staying on the sidelines looked forlorn yesterday. ... Ruperto Godoy, the official Argentine government spokesman on the islands, said the new pressure from Mrs Clinton was “very significant, very important†and would help Buenos Aires to force Britain to the negotiating table. [color:red]In the Falklands, reaction to the meeting ranged from dismay to fury. “It’s outrageous after all the support we have given the United States,†said Hattie Kilmartin, a sheepfarmer’s wife. “They are not looking at the people who are actually living here and what they want, and it’s crazy that they are even contemplating going against us.†[/color] [color:red]Jane Clement, who works at Stanley airport, said her reaction was “probably unprintableâ€Â. She added: “I’m very disappointed. I always thought we would have support.†Tiffany Gillen, an American citizen living in the Falklands, wrote a letter of protest to President Obama, asking: “How can we not support these people, this country? Have we ceased to be allies of the United Kingdom?â€Â[/color] [color:green]Mrs Clinton’s tour is intended to repair relations with a continent that has felt neglected and abused by its northern neighbour, and which hoped for transformed relations with the US under Mr Obama. Instead, he has angered many regional leaders by taking sides with the unpopular Honduran President in last year’s coup, and by boosting the US military presence in Colombia. Mark Weisbrot, of the Washington Centre for Economic and Policy Research, said Mrs Clinton’s visit was “all about damage controlâ€Â. She may have controlled one source of damage, but she has sparked another.[/color] Next let's send her to deal with the Taliban ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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