Mario Profaca: Americas and Caribbean: Argentina

Outrage at Falklands definition
Argentina has expressed outrage at plans to include the Falkland Islands as a British overseas territory in the new European Union constitution. Foreign Minister Rafael Bielsa said he had ordered all 25 of Argentina's EU ambassadors to present complaints. Argentina has long claimed sovereignty over what it calls the Malvinas, which have been in British hands since 1833. Its 1982 invasion sparked a war during which around 650 Argentines and more than 250 Britons died. (BBC, April 29, 2005)

Argentine Army kept funds
donated for conscripts in 1982
An estimated 54 million US dollars donated in 1982 for Argentine servicemen, mostly conscripts, fighting in the Falklands War was "transferred to armed forces accounts" reported Clarin on its Sunday editions.
"The funds were transferred to Argentine Armed Forces bank accounts and to the office of the military governor of Malvinas/Falklands at the time", reveals Clarin quoting from a report prepared by then Finance Secretary Manuel Solanet, who was in charge of managing wartime finances. (Mercosur, April 4, 2005)

Falkland Islands
(Malvinas) Map

Kirchner reiterates sovereignty claims
(MercoPress, Mar. 2, 2005)
Argentine president Nestor Kirchner reiterated this week his administration's strong commitment to recovering the full sovereignty over the Falklands/Malvinas islands, South Georgia and South Sandwich islands and adjoining maritime spaces, calling on the United Kingdom to resume negotiations leading to a peaceful solution of the dispute.

Kirchner Claims Argentine Sovereignty
Over Falklands, 23 Years after War

President Nestor Kirchner, marking 2 April 2005 the 23rd anniversary of the start of the war with Britain over the Falklands, said the disputed islands would eventually be ruled by Argentina through "dialogue and peace.", "I trust that the Malvinas will again become Argentina's, through dialogue and peace," said Kirchner. Kirchner said that recovery of the islands, which have been British-ruled since 1833, remains an "unrenounceable" goal of the Argentine people.(Terra.ar, April 3, 2005)

Argentina reiterates sovereignty
over Malvinas Islands
Kirchner stressed that his country haslegitimate sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands as they are part of its territory. "It is vital and fundamental that we remember the heroic combatto recover our islands," he said. The disputed islands, located in the southern Atlantic near theArgentine coast, were occupied by British forces in 1833. Argentina fought a 74-day war with Britain in 1982 over the sovereignty of the archipelago,leaving 649 Argentine and 255 British soldiers dead. Britain later regained control of the islands. Also present at the ceremony were Argentine Vice President Daniel Osvaldo Scioli, Defense Minister Jose Pampuro, heads of thearmed forces and veterans of the 74-day war.
(Xinhuanet, April. 3, 2005)

UK admits nukes aboard Falkland ships
(Greenpeace, January. 4, 2004)
When the destroyer HMS Sheffield was sunk during the war between the UK and Argentina over the Falklands-Malvinas islands, the UK Ministry of Defence refused to admit there were nuclear weapons aboard any of the ships in the conflict. As a part of the nukewatch network, we knew otherwise.

China-Latin America ties enter
"best period of history": Experts
With frequent high-level visits and billions of US dollars worth economic and trade cooperation, China and Latin America ties have entered "best period in history",Chinese experts say. Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Venezuela announced the recognition of China's full market economy status, and China classified Brazil, Argentina, Mexico, Chile and Peru as tourist destination which will allow Chinese tourists to travel to those countries. "Latin American countries are sharing great benefits from China's soaring economy, and great potential still remains. It's the best period of history in China-Latin American ties," said Jiang Shixue. (Xinhuanet, Dec. 27 2004)

China's increasing influence
in the Latin-America (Nov. 25, 2004)

President Hu Jintao's visit to Brazil, Argentina,
Chile and Cuba was of great importance, which is also the first state visit to the four Latin American countries by the new top leader of the Chinese Government. It marks a new milestone in the history of China-Latin America friendship. The visit yielded plentiful and substantial fruits in the exchanges in various fields such as politics, economy, culture, education, and technology. In total 39 documents for cooperation were signed. PR China Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Press conference

China's Encroachment
on America's Backyard
Asia Media, Nov. 26, 2004

Spain would help pushforward the relations between China and Latin American countries
Xinhua (Nov. 29, 2004)

China, Latin America:
Boosting economic ties
Monday Morning, Lebanon
- (Dec 2, 2004)