Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero said this morning during the eighth meeting of Ministers of the South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone (SAPCZ) that the presence of countries from outside the southern regions in the Southern Atlantic is “unacceptable”. 

During his speech in the bi-continental forum in Cabo Verde, the minister said that attitudes such as the United Kingdom’s are “not in accordance with the times and practices of multilateralism and international law”. 

“Since 1833, my country has suffered the illegal occupation of part of its territory by the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland,” said Cafiero. He expressed his gratitude for the support of the Members of the Zone “for calling to resume bilateral negotiations on sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime areas, in accordance with resolution 2065(XX) and other relevant resolutions of the General Assembly”.

The eighth Ministerial Meeting of the SAPCZ brings together 24 South American and African countries to discuss defense, security, conservation, environment and cooperation between the regions.

The UK refers to the Malvinas as the Falkland Islands, although this name is strongly contested by Argentina.

“Argentina has and will always be willing to engage again in diplomatic negotiations with the UK on the Malvinas issue,” he added. “We are peaceful and dignified people”.

“That is why we wish to draw attention to the recent deployment in the Malvinas Islands of members of the so-called ‘Kosovo Security Forces’,” referring to the deployment this January of Kosovan troops to the island in the framework of a military cooperation agreement with the UK through NATO.

“This constitutes an illegal and disproportionate show of force on the part of the UK. It implies the introduction in the South Atlantic of extra-regional actors alien to the sovereignty dispute,” Cafiero told the meeting.

A spokesperson for the British Foreign Office told the Herald, “As part of a broader Defence agreement, the Kosovan Security Force (KSF) are partnering with an UK Army unit deployed to the Falkland Islands,” the spokesperson added. “This deployment is part of a routine changeover in personnel. A small number of liaison officers from the Kosovo Security Force (KSF) were therefore deployed to the Falkland Islands with UK forces to learn from, and participate in routine field training.”

 “The United Kingdom has no doubt about its sovereignty over the Falkland Islands and South Georgia & South Sandwich Islands and surrounding maritime areas, nor about the principle and the right of the Falkland Islanders to self-determination.”

After a decade of no ZPCAS ministerial meetings, foreign ministers and authorities of the member countries are meeting in the Cape Verdean city of Mindelo with the aim of reactivating the Zone and handing the pro tempore presidency to Uruguay. 

Argentine sources told Télam that it is an “opportune platform for relations” with Africa, particularly in light of the Malvinas issue and the geopolitical and strategic importance of the South Atlantic region.

-Herald/Télam