UN seeks to ease Falkland tensions

UN leader Ban Ki-moon on Friday called on Argentina and Britain to avoid "escalation" of a dispute over the Falkland islands with the 30th anniversary of their war over the territory looming. Ban's appeal came as Argentina's Foreign Minister Hector Timerman accused Britain of accumulating the "biggest" military power in the South Atlantic, including nuclear arms. With diplomatic tensions rising ahead of the war anniversary, Britain insists it has only been carrying out "routine" operations and maneuvers around the Falklands. After discussing the Falklands with Timerman, Ban "expressed concern about the increasingly strong exchanges between the governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom on this issue," UN spokesman Martin Nesirky said. "He expressed the hope that the governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom will avoid an escalation of this dispute and resolve differences peacefully and through dialogue." Ban said he was ready to use the United Nations' "good offices to resolve this dispute" if both sides requested, his spokesman added. Timerman told reporters after the Ban meeting that he was at the United Nations "to condemn Great Britain for its militarization of the South Atlantic." "Britain now has the biggest military power in the zone, I gave him (Ban) information about nuclear issues, nuclear arms," he added without giving details. Timerman was also to make a similar complaint to the UN Security Council. But Argentina has not announced what UN action, if any, it is seeking. Britain did not immediately comment on the Ban-Timerman meeting. But it has reaffirmed its stance in recent days that there can be no negotiations over the future of the islands unless the 3,000 Falklands inhabitants want it. Argentina has denounced the deployment of a British destroyer, HMS Dauntless, to the region and the dispatch of Prince William, second in line to the throne, to serve as a rescue helicopter pilot. Britain says the warship, one of the most modern in its fleet, is replacing one already in the area and that William's deployment was a routine part of his job in the Royal Air Force. Media reports say a nuclear-armed submarine has also been sent to the region. Britain's defence ministry does not comment on submarine deployments. Britain has in turn complained about Argentina withdrawing from joint accords on the Falklands. Argentina in December persuaded the Mercosur Latin American trade bloc to stop Falklands-registered ships from entering member ports. It has also stopped charter flights heading for the Falklands from using Argentine airspace. Diplomats said much of the tensions can be attributed to the anniversary of the South Atlantic conflict sparked by Argentina's invasion of the islands on April 2, 1982. Britain sent a task force to retake the territory that it has held since 1833. The 74-day war cost the lives of 649 Argentine and 255 British troops and three Falkland Islanders. Since the war, the UN General Assembly has passed resolutions calling on Britain and Argentina to negotiate a settlement. Argentina also presses its claim each year at the UN's Decolonization Committee. But Britain's Prime Minister David Cameron has insisted that Argentina must respect the UN Charter's insistence on self-determination for the people of disputed territories. Timerman was due to meet Kodjo Menan, Togo's UN ambassador and president of the Security Council, on which Britain, like China, the US, France and Russia, has a permanent seat and veto power.