The Argentine Republic vigorously rejects the conduct of military operations, and missile launches in particular, in Argentine territory unlawfully occupied by the United Kingdom. Such operations constitute an unjustified demonstration of force and wilful disregard for the various resolutions adopted by the United Nations and other international organizations calling on both Argentina and the United Kingdom to resume negotiations to find a peaceful and lasting solution to the sovereignty dispute between both countries in relation to the Question of the Malvinas Islands.
The British Foreign Ministry informed our Embassy to the United Kingdom that the British Government will conduct unlawful military exercises in the Malvinas Islands in the coming days, which will include launching Rapier missiles. Immediately after receiving such communication, the Argentine Government submitted a vigorous protest note to the British Government.
In the note, the Argentine Government stressed that the United Kingdom’s insistence on conducting military exercises in the South Atlantic specifically contravenes Resolution 31/49 of the United Nations General Assembly, which calls on both parties (Argentina and the United Kingdom) to refrain from taking decisions that would imply introducing unilateral modifications in the situation while the Islands are going through the negotiation process recommended by the resolution. Military presence and the missile launch are also contrary to Resolution 41/11 of the General Assembly (Zone of Peace and Co-operation of the South Atlantic), which, among other provisions, calls upon states of all other regions, in particular the militarily significant States, to scrupulously respect the region of the South Atlantic as a zone of peace and co-operation, especially through the reduction and eventual elimination of their military presence there. In this regard, the alleged defensive nature of the British military base in the South Atlantic is not only completely unjustified, but also a threat to the region.
In keeping with the obligations and responsibilities of Argentina in terms of navigation security in the Southwest Atlantic, once precise information is available on the date of the launch, the Argentine Naval Hydrographic Service will broadcast a notice to report the planned military exercises. In addition, the Argentine Government will denounce this situation to the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization.
