Argentina: Diplomatic Relations (Hansard, 26 October 1989)

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, last week's official talks in Madrid enabled both governments to take significant steps towards more normal relations. We will discuss the question of diplomatic relations at the next official talks in February.

§ Viscount Montgomery of Alamein
My Lords, I thank my noble friend for that reply, which indicates some progress. Is he aware that the step-by-step approach which has been adopted by Her Majesty's Government and the progress made in Madrid have been very widely welcomed by people in the UK and in the international community? Further, could he possibly convey our congratulations to the negotiators on the extremely prudent and sensible way they have conducted these matters so far? Long may they continue.
On a more specific point, can my noble friend say whether the progress made in Madrid is sufficient to allow the dismemberment of the mechanism of the protecting powers which we presently use for these diplomatic relations? Further, will he consider the early abolition of the two-way requirement for visas, bearing in mind that Argentina is the only country in Latin America with which there is currently such a requirement?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Viscount for his congratulatory remarks about the negotiations which recently took place. The arrangements for the protecting powers to which my noble friend referred will remain in place for the time being. However, the senior British representative now in Argentina will be a consul general, and indeed he will fly his consular flag at the premises concerned. Moreover, the senior Argentinian representative in the United Kingdom will likewise be of consul general rank.

§ Lord Cledwyn of Penrhos
My Lords, what are the implications of the Madrid talks on our defence policy for the Falklands? Secondly, what discussions on those matters have been held with representatives of the Falklands community?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, the Falkland Islands community has been kept fully informed on this matter. As the noble Lord may be aware, there was a general election recently in the Falkland Islands and the new councillors appear to be in agreement with what has happened with regard to the improvement in our relations with Argentina. I do not believe that there are any particular implications yet for our defence policy with regard to the Falkland Islands. Naturally, it will be kept under review.

§ Baroness Young
My Lords, I very much welcome the discussions which took place last week between Britain and Argentina, not just because they established better relations between our two countries but because they are valuable confidence-building measures in a difficult area. However, will my noble friend bear in mind the concerns of the Falkland Islands people about the outcome of those negotiations and encourage them to believe what I am sure is true: that it is in their best interests, as 1556 well as the interests of Britain and Argentina, that we should improve relations, and, I hope, move to full diplomatic relations next year as suggested?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, I believe that thinking Falkland Islanders take the view which my noble friend suggested. They of course have bitter memories of what happened in the past, but they can hardly be blamed for that.

§ Lord Kennet
My Lords, is the Minister aware that at least in this quarter of the House and, I believe, wider than that, there is wide agreement with the supplementary question asked by the noble Viscount, Lord Montgomery of Alamein? Is it not a thoroughly good development that this time we have been able to get past the starting post of the negotiations without everything blowing up in our face, as happened last time? Many of us would ask him to convey to our negotiators our congratulations on their skills.

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, I shall certainly see that that happens.

§ Baroness Phillips
My Lords, can we hope that Her Majesty's Government will remember the bravery and deaths of many of our people in relation to the Falkland Islands? I am amazed at the anxiety there is immediately to re-establish relations with Argentina before we have fully gone through the reasons for the conflict with Argentina in the first place.

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, the conflict is now seven years ago, as the noble Baroness will recall. We should like to see our relations with Argentina begin to return to normal. The first step has been taken successfully at our recent meeting in Madrid. I invite the noble Baroness to study the joint statement that was made at the end of those talks, which runs to two or three pages. No one can forget the bravery of our armed forces in the conflict which took place in 1982 when 253, I believe it was, of our brave people died.

§ Lord Molloy
My Lords, is the Minister aware that what my noble friend Lady Phillips said is acknowledged by all, but at the same time those of us who 30 or 40 years ago thought the same about our now allies and former enemies—the Italians, the Germans and a few others—could not carry on like that? Ultimately, we must behave in a more sensible manner because of the people who were not even alive at that time.
Is the noble Lord aware that the Inter-Parliamentary Union, at its great international conference in this country, recommended that the ideas submitted by the noble Viscount, Lord Montgomery of Alamein, should become official policy? Will the Minister therefore advise the people who are arranging the discussions in February to take full cognisance of that fact?

§ Lord Trefgarne
My Lords, I am sure that they will do that. One of the most welcome features of the 1557 joint statement to which I referred earlier was the recognition by both governments that all hostilities between them had ceased. That development was most welcome to the United Kingdom.