Argentina's Kirchner: Britain "should apologize" on nuclear issue

A report issued by the British Government confirms suspects about the presence of nuke bombs in 1982 Falklands War against Argentina. Buenos Aires is concerned about sunken English battleships laying in the South Atlantic Ocean, as Government blames London on giving "puerile" explanations.

Only two days after declassified British reports on the 1982 Falklands War against Argentina confirmed that the United Kingdom had dispatched nuclear weaponry to the islands, Argentine president Nestor Kirchner, asked the British Government to apologize. "It is a terrible thing", Kirchner told PRAVDA.Ru and other local media in the town of General Pico, in the Central province of La Pampa.

"What Argentina needs is, for those who belong to another country (Britain) to have the decency to make the necessary apology", said Kirchner. "I claim and fight for the rights of the Argentine people, and I hope (British Prime Minister, Tony) Blair understands and listens to it", added Argentina's head of State.

PRAVDA.Ru asked President Kirchner whether he had communicated with Blair or not, after the scandal became known: "Not yet", he answered. Immediately, he added that both countries did it through their respective foreign ministries. "They will hear a strong reaction from our Defense and Foreign ministries", Kirchner said.

This daily also asked President Kirchner how did you feel like Argentinean, now that the UK admitted the presence of nuke bombs aboard their battleships during Falklands War. He did not answer this specific question, but said: "It probes what were the principles that guided them (the British Administration of Margaret Thatcher)".

Buenos Aires always suspected about the presence of nuclear weaponry conveyed by the Royal Navy to the battlefield in 1982 South Atlantic conflict. However, it was first confirmed by London on Thursday after releasing a report, which says that the UK military transported nuke bombs on battleships dispatched to recapture the Islands after the Argentine invasion in April of that year.

The report says that the task force sent to the South Atlantic Ocean included battleships that were equipped with nuclear weaponry. Argentine minister of Defense, Jose Pampuro confirmed to the local press the report and expressed his concern regarding sunk British vessels laying underwater, which may be radioactive.

Documents confirmed that the British military did not take time to remove the weapons from the ships before launching the attack to the Islands. They are WE 177 depth charges manufactured in the UK.

As such, the Argentine Government will ask its British counterpart to give details about the operations to evaluate a mission to the area to confirm the presence of radioactivity in the sunken ships. Local official sources did not deny any possible communication between president Nestor Kirchner and British Prime Minister Tony Blair to discuss the issue.

Hernan Etchaleco,
Pravda.ru