Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)

I thank the Minister of State for his response. As he stated there have been ten resolutions calling on the UK and Argentinian Governments to proceed to negotiations without delay. However, the Minister of State ignored the fact that the UK is not co-operating with the United Nations resolutions.

Will the Minister of State accept that in recent months there has been a major militarisation of the south Atlantic in the region of the Malvinas Islands? Will he further accept that this is totally unacceptable and is very provocative to the Argentinian people? Will the Minister of State also accept, as would any international observer or person from Ireland, which is a neutral country, that historically the Malvinas Islands have belonged to the Argentinian people?

Will the Minister of State accept the right of Argentina, as a sovereign nation and country, which is now a democracy, to claim the Malvinas Islands through peaceful and democratic means? Will he support the formal complaints and resolutions at the United Nations in relation to this militarisation of the south Atlantic around the Malvinas Islands and will he put pressure on the UK Government to come to the table and talk with the representations of the Argentinian people on this issue?

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