CHOCHABAMBA: The Organisation of American States (OAS) general assembly meeting here passed a resolution urging the Argentine and British governments to find a peaceful way to solve the Malvinas Islands sovereignty dispute.

On the last day of the session yesterday, the organization urged both nations “to retake negotiations in order to soon find a peaceful way to solve the Falklands-Malvinas Islands sovereignty dispute” that caused a war between London and Buenos Aires in 1982.

Foreign Minister Héctor Timerman invited the British representative in the OAS assembly to immediately engage in dialogue in order to find a definitive solution to the conflict.

“I would like to offer Great Britain the opportunity to meet in a room. The OAS secretary general can be present. I want to negotiate with Great Britain. I want to find a peaceful solution to this colonial conflict,” he said during the fourth session of the meeting.

Timerman regretted that London chose to ignore the 39 resolutions passed by the UN urging both nations to solve the bilateral conflict.

Before the final approval of the draft resolution several Foreign ministers read aloud similar statements in support of Argentina from Latin regional groupings like Unasur, Mercosur and Celac calling for diplomatic negotiations on the Falklands issue.

However Canada pointed out that it is for the Falkland Islands people to decide on their future adding that it did not agree with some chapters of the OAS resolution.

Likewise and as had been anticipated the US delegation adopted a neutral stance but also accepted the call for a peaceful solution to the bilateral dispute.

The draft resolution was presented to the general assembly by Brazil’s Deputy Secretary for International Policy, Vera Machado, and was approved by acclamation on request from the Uruguayan delegation.

Meanwhile Britain ratified the Falkland Islands people’s self-determination following a resolution from the OAS general assembly taking place in Bolivia calling on the two sides (Argentina and Britain) to resume dialogue on the sovereignty of the islands which are claimed by Argentina.

Fiona Clouder from the Foreign Office Desk for the Americas said during the last session of the OAS assembly that the Falklands are a self-governing territory, its leaders are democratically elected and they have their own Constitution which outlines the relation with the UK by law.

“The future of the Islands is not in the hands of the UK or Argentina, nor any other country represented here at the assembly. It is in the hands of the people of the Falklands”, added Ms Clouder who insisted that the UK “will not talk about sovereignty unless the people of the Falklands so decides”.

“If they wish to change this, we will help them reach that change. Currently the people of the Falklands have made it clear that they prefer to keep the relation they have with the UK”, added the FCO officer.

As to the Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman’s petition to meet in Cochabamba, where the general assembly is taking place, to address the issue, Ms Clouder said it would be “an honor” for her to meet with the Argentine delegation but she must first ask for clearance from the UK and the Falklands governments.

The OAS distributed a photo where the Argentine minister and the UK OAS observer are shaking hands.

The act of shaking hands was described by the OAS as “historic” since it took place on the 30th anniversary of the Falklands war, and claims it is the first time the representatives from both countries adopt such an attitude after each country delivered its position on the dispute.

A few hours earlier Timerman claimed before the OAS General Assembly that the UK refuses to dialogue on the Falklands/Malvinas issue, ignoring 39 resolutions from the United Nations calling for resumption of talks.

Following Ms Clouder’s statement, Timerman underlined as a ‘great achievement’ for OAS that a representative from the Foreign Office was present at the assembly as an observer, but insisted on an official meeting, right away, to resume negotiations on the Falklands/Malvinas dispute.

The document approved by the OAS general assembly “reaffirms the need” for Argentina and the UK to resume negotiations “with the purpose of finding a peaceful solution to this prolonged controversy”.

Likewise the OAS expresses satisfaction at the Argentine government’s willingness to continue exploring all possible ways to peacefully resolve the controversy and announces the issue will continue to be examined in the coming sessions of the Assembly “until a definitive solution is reached”.

- Bernama