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Foreign Office comments on Argentine Foreign Minister meeting

The Foreign Office is concerned about the Argentine government’s behaviour towards the Falkland Islanders.

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Following Argentine Foreign Minister Timerman’s rejection of a meeting with the Foreign Secretary, William Hague, and representatives of the Falkland Islands Government, a Foreign Office spokesperson said:

We note that Mr Timerman has publicly rejected the Foreign Secretary’s offer of a meeting whilst he is in the UK. We have always said that we are open to discuss a wide range of issues that affect our two countries, including our respective interests as members of the United Nations Security Council.

However, it is clear from Mr Timerman’s plans in the UK that the Falkland Islands are already on his agenda. We remain concerned about the Argentine government’s behaviour towards the Falkland Islanders, so it is right and proper that they are involved in the part of the meeting that concerns the Islands. We have made that clear to the Argentine Government in recent exchanges, and the Foreign Secretary’s offer of a meeting on these terms still stands.

Published 1 February 2013