Angry protesters in Argentine burn British flag
The protest was organised by Quebracho, a leftist group involved in a series of anti-British rallies during this year's 30th anniversary of Argentina's occupation of the islands.
A veteran of the 1982 war burned a replica of the British Union Jack and joined other protesters in presenting demands to YPF officials.
The angry protesters gathered outside the main offices of Argentina's newly state-controlled energy company YPF to protest against the violation of rules which are designed to punish companies supporting offshore oil exploration near the Malvinas Islands.
For years, the company has used the Stela Polaris, which flies a Bermudan flag, to carry its oil. Argentine lawmaker Liliana Fadul says that violates Argentine rules designed to punish companies that support offshore oil development in waters claimed by both Argentina and the Falkland Islands Government.
In response to protests, YPF officials announced that they had no plans to continue to use tankers carrying the British flag in order to transport it energy.
“YPF only made an exception this one time, buying from a British ship to guarantee the supply of oil and gas in Tierra del Fuego ahead of the coming winter”, said the company in a statement.
Also on Monday, Argentine Defense Minister Arturo Puricelli unveiled a plaque in the capital praising Argentina's "heroes of the Malvinas" and noting that President Cristina Kirchner has declared June 10 to be the "Day of Affirmation of the Argentine Rights over the Malvinas."
On June 10, 1829, Puricelli noted, Luis Vernet was named the country's first "political and military commander" of the islands. Vernet later returned to Buenos Aires, leaving behind a small settlement that was taken over by British forces in 1833.
Britain has held the islands ever since, with the exception of Argentina's 74-day occupation in 1982.
The dispute over the Malvinas archipelago between Argentina and Britain has become heated with Britain ruling out the possibility of negotiations.
Last week on Monday 4 June, as the British Queen was celebrating her 60th year on the throne, the Organization of American States (OAS), which includes the US, re-adopted a 2010 declaration which supports Argentina’s call for talks over the islands.
Britain has ruled the archipelago since 1833 and Malvinas is still one of the 16 territories on the UN Committee on Decolonization's list of colonies awaiting liberation.
No comments:
Post a Comment