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View Full Version : Falklands row: Sun places advert in Argentina newspaper


MrDaniel2K13
January 4th, 2013, 03:09 AM
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20907312

"The Sun newspaper has taken out an advert in an English-language paper in Argentina defending Britain's right to govern the Falkland Islands.

The advert is a response to an open letter from the Argentine president, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, which was printed in two British papers.

Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron has insisted the islanders must decide their own future.

Argentina invaded the islands in 1982 but was driven out by British forces.

A referendum on the islands' political status is to be held in March.

On Thursday, President Kirchner published an open letter to Mr Cameron, in the Guardian newspaper and the Independent, repeating calls for the islands - which are known as the Malvinas in Argentina - to come under the sovereignty of her nation.

She urged Mr Cameron to abide by a 1965 UN resolution to "negotiate a solution" to the dispute.

'Hands off'
But The Sun responded by taking out an advert in the Buenos Aires Herald - an English-language paper with a circulation of around 20,000 - telling Argentina to keep its "hands off".

The advert refers to the 649 Argentinian and 255 British servicemen whose lives were lost in the 1982 war and said it was a conflict fought to defend the principle of self-determination.

The ad goes on to dispute Argentina's claim to the islands and points out British sovereignty dates back to 1765.

It ends with the words: "Until the people of the Falkland Islands choose to become Argentinian, they remain resolutely British."

But the journalist Daniel Schweimler, who lives in Argentina, said the Sun's message would not go down well.


Argentine veterans protested outside the British Embassy in Buenos Aires
Mr Schweimler, who is based in Buenos Aires, said: "I've been here seven years now, and have never come across an Argentine who doesn't believe that the Falklands belong to Argentina.

"There's never been any animosity towards me when I say I'm British, but I think it's fair to say that almost across the board in a country of 40 million people that Las Malvinas, the Falklands, belong to them," he added.

Argentine journalist Celina Andreassi agreed and says the Sun's advert was quite provocative.

Asked on BBC Radio 5 live what the reaction would be in Argentina, she said: "Probably anger, people will wonder what has The Sun got to do with it, but again the arguments The Sun puts forward are the arguments the British have generally put forward; the arguments our press put forward are the same as always - basically there's really nothing new"

TigerBoy
January 4th, 2013, 07:01 AM
By the Argentine argument, the case is even stronger that they should give their own lands back to native people (the Onas, Tehuelches Guaraníes Toba etc). In contrast to Argentine lands which were stolen from native peoples who had lived there since prehistory, the Falkland Islands were only ever colonised by various modern nations. I don't see the US, Australia or anyone else agreeing to Argentina's line of reasoning.

The Argentine claims are nothing more than a diversionary tactic of their leadership to deflect attention from domestic issues.

The Sun's moronic contribution to this is only likely to inflame opinion and support for Argentina's claims, and reinforces an image of the UK as a jingoistic imperialists.

MrDaniel2K13
January 4th, 2013, 07:49 AM
The United Kingdom will never hand the Falkland Islands back to the Argentines, do you think another war is a possibility?

TigerBoy
January 4th, 2013, 08:11 AM
The United Kingdom will never hand the Falkland Islands back to the Argentines, do you think another war is a possibility?

It was a stupid idea the first time, so I wouldn't rule out the Argentines being stupid again. At the moment I think it is just political posturing.

MrDaniel2K13
January 4th, 2013, 08:18 AM
If Argentina invades the Falklands with more force than last time Britain would struggle to defend the Islands, Britain has only a small aircraft carrier and it can't launch the aircraft we have at this moment.