Argentina Declassifies Falklands War Documents [Watch]
Argentina’s president, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, announced on the anniversary of the Falklands War that she ordered the declassification of Argentine documents concerning the war.
In a heartfelt speech given on April 2, the anniversary of the brief 1982 Falklands War between the U.K. and Argentina, President Fernandez de Kirchner announced her government would declassify documents concerning the war of the Malvinas, as Argentines refer to the islands.
President Fernandez de Kirchner traveled the distant city of Ushuaia, at the tip of Patagonia, to deliver her speech on the war’s 33rd anniversary. She announced various programs to commemorate the soldiers who fought in the conflict, including an oral history by veterans, regular citizens, and journalists.
“And thus we too are the government that took the bull by the horns, taking our soldiers out of the shadows, that made this museum where this archive will be,” she told the crowd. “And also, by Decree No. 503, which I signed yesterday before coming here, we will declassify all the information available on Malvinas Islands.”
The decree gives the Argentine ministry of defense 30 days to release documents on the war.
During her speech, she reassured Argentina that the Falklands would return to Argentina.
“July 9 will not be whole until we recover the Malvinas,” she said, referencing Argentina’s independence day and clamoring for an end to colonialism.
However, she reassured the crowd, the U.K. and the rest of the world Argentina does not pose a military threat and would seek to regain the islands diplomatically. Nonetheless, “We will see the islands form part of our territory again. It’s not just wishful thinking,” she said.
The U.K. has been wary of Argentina’s actions. The Ministry of Defense announced on March 24 that Britain would up its defenses of the islands, reports the Guardian.
“The assurance that I can give the Falkland Islands is that we will always be there for them, we will always defend them,” Prime Minister David Cameron said at the time, adding they will enforce the Falklanders’ decision to remain with the U.K.
“They couldn’t have been more clear about wanting to remain with our country and we should protect and defend them,” he said.
Citing reports Argentina planned to obtain long-range bombers and attack aircraft from Russia, Defense Minister Michael Fallon justified the decision.
Defense News reported Britain announced in March a plan to spend £180 million ($268 million) to upgrade the islands’ air defenses.
During her speech on April 2, President Fernandez de Kirchner took a swipe at Britain saying they should use the money to help their people rather than militarize the islands.
Watch President Fernandez de Kirchner’s full speech.
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