Argentina invokes Gandhi over disputed islands with Britain…writes Hadra Ahmed for Asian Lite, UK’s No 1 newspaper for Brtiish Asians  

With Argentina still going through sovereignty disputes to reclaim the Malvinas, South Georgias and South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime areas with Britain, the South American country is applying the way of Mahatma Gandhi’s ‘ahimsa’ – truth, love and fraternity – that brought independence to India.

“Argentina has learned from Gandhi to be patient and to wait. We have learned from him that in the end people will get what is theirs and get what they want despite the amount of time it may take,” Daniel Filmus, Argentina’s secretary of affairs related to the Malvinas Islands, South Georgias, South Sandwich Islands and the Surrounding Maritime Areas in the South Atlantic, told IANS duriing a visit to Ethiopia.

“He is a peace icon and an example for world peace. That is what we are going to do to fulfill our purpose despite the consistent refusal by the British government for dialogue”.

The UN General Assembly Resolution 40/21 adopted Resolution 40/21 on November 27, 1985, commending the Argentine government for its concrete contributions to the peaceful and lasting solution of problems pending between Buenos Aires and London.

“India strongly supports the position of Argentina in several multi-lateral organisations,” Filmus said.
“We reaffirm the need for the governments of Argentina and the UK to resume negotiations on the ‘Malvinas Islands question’ in conformity with the principles and objectives of the United Nations and pertinent resolutions, so as to find a timely, peaceful solution to the sovereignty dispute related to the ‘Malvinas Islands question’, which seriously harms the economic capacity of Argentina, and the need for both sides to abstain from making decisions that involve the introduction of unilateral modifications to the situation, while the Islands are in the middle of the process recommended by the UN General Assembly”, reads the Falklands/Malvinas paragraph of the resolution.

“India actually signed on the G77 plus China resolution in June last year. That resolution also talks about the sovereignty rights of Argentina over hydrocarbon as well as other natural resources of the area,” the Argentine official said.

According to the secretary, Argentina gives a great deal of importance about strengthening ties with India especially in scientific development process and trade. Lately, commercial relationship between India and Argentina has grown exponentially and Buenos Aires is paying special attention in areas of information technology and communication and nuclear power.

In Argentina, there are 14 Indian companies, seven of which are in the IT and IT-enabled services sector, employing some 7,000 individuals, and the rest in various manufacturing areas, from pharmaceuticals to cosmetics to agrochemicals.

India and Argentina, he said, enjoyed warm and friendly relations based on shared values of democracy, rule of law and inclusive growth. During the fiscal year 2012-13, bilateral trade between the two countries was estimated at about $1.8 billion.