Re: Falkland Islands (British Overseas Territory)
Posted: 24 Mar 2016, 18:33
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Article here: http://forces.tv/95130611Gibraltar and the Falklands have accused Spain and Argentina of being ignorant and trying to bully them.
Spain and Argentina's Foreign Ministers held a press conference in Buenos Aires calling on the UK to enter bilateral talks over what they called the 'Colonial situations of Gibraltar and the Falklands.'
http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/news-and-la ... ning-againGold Rover hit the high seas again at the end of February after completing an extended maintenance period in Simon’s Town, South Africa for major rectification work.
The RFA ship headed North to the Ascension Islands to pick up a detachment of 14 Royal Marines to take part in a coastal exercise with West African navies called “Obangame Express".
Obangame means “togetherness". Over 70 vessels and aircraft from 32 Nations were participating in the exercise.
To help the RM detachment settle in and integrate into the ship’s company a BBQ and horse racing night was arranged and a successful evening ensued. £83 was raised from the horse racing meeting for CHICKS children’s charity which provides free week long respite breaks for disadvantaged children in the UK.
The ship headed east towards the West African coast. During the passage the ship undertook internal training to exercise our defence organisation and emergency actions to fires and structural damage.
During the exercise, Gold Rover acted as an illegal fishing boat and as a tanker that had been taking over by pirates.
Answered by: Mr Hugo SwireTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with the government of Argentina on the future of the Falkland Islands.
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publi ... -13/33809/The Prime Minister, my Rt Hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron) has made clear to President Macri that while we are keen to improve UK-Argentine relations, this does not, and will not, change our position on sovereignty or the Falkland Islanders’ right to self-determination. We shall always defend the right of the Falkland Islanders to determine their own political future.
Answered by: Mr Hugo SwireTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent steps he has taken to support the right of the people of the Falkland Islands to develop their own economy without interference; and if he will make a statement.
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publi ... -13/33810/The UK has no doubt about its sovereignty over the Falklands and surrounding maritime areas, nor about the Falkland Islanders’ right to decide their own future. We will continue to make that clear to Argentina and other countries in the region.
Answered by: Mr Hugo SwireTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policy on the Falkland Islands of the recent decision by the UN to grant rights over waters surrounding those Islands to Argentina.
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publi ... -13/33811/The UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) has no jurisdiction to consider areas subject to competing claims and therefore has no locus to make recommendations in relation to the Falkland Islands. The UN itself has acknowledged that the CLCS could not consider those parts of the original Argentine submission of 2009 that were subject to dispute. This would include the Falkland Islands.
Answered by: Penny MordauntTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when a British frigate or destroyer was last assigned to protect the Falkland Islands; whether there has been any change in his Department's policy on the provision of such protection: and if he will make a statement.
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publi ... -13/33732/The Atlantic Patrol Tasking (South) duty provides a tangible presence in the South Atlantic, maintaining a commitment to provide support and reassurance to British Overseas Territories in the region, including the Falkland Islands.
The last frigate or destroyer in the vicinity of the Falkland Islands was the Type 23 frigate HMS LANCASTER; she completed this task in early December 2015.
There has been no change to our policy. We continually review our security posture in the Falkland Islands, which remain defended by a range of military assets including the patrol vessel HMS CLYDE, a Royal Fleet Auxiliary support ship and around 1,200 UK personnel operating Royal Air Force Typhoon jets, ground defences and supporting infrastructure. In addition, other Royal Navy ships would be retasked to the Falkland Islands if required.
Answered by: Penny MordauntTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what steps he is taking to ensure a continuous presence of Royal Navy vessels in the Falkland Islands.
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publi ... -13/33866/The Royal Navy has a permanent presence in the South Atlantic in the form of the Falkland Islands Patrol Vessel, HMS CLYDE, supported by a Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship. The Royal Navy's Ice Patrol Ship, HMS PROTECTOR, also operates in the South Atlantic region for periods of the year.
Other Royal Navy ships continue on normal operations in the Atlantic and would be retasked to the Falkland Islands if required.
Answered by: Penny MordauntTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) helicopters, (b) Royal Navy ships and (c) Royal Air Force aircraft are stationed in the Falkland Islands.
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publi ... -23/38101/Four contractor-owned and operated helicopters are currently stationed in the Falkland Islands. Two AW-189 helicopters deliver search and rescue services and two S-61 helicopters deliver a medium lift capability. One River Class patrol ship (HMS CLYDE), one C-130, one Voyager air-to-air refuelling aircraft, and four Typhoon aircraft are also currently stationed in the Falklands.
In accordance with the Secretary of State's announcement to the House on 24 March 2015 (Official Report, column 1302), two Chinook helicopters are due to return to the Falkland Islands. The first of these will begin operations in July 2016.
Answered by: Penny MordauntTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, how many (a) army, (b) Royal Navy and (c) Royal Air Force personnel are stationed in the Falkland Islands.
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publi ... -23/38102/As of 24 May 2016, there were 59 Royal Navy, 483 Army and 600 Royal Air Force personnel stationed in the Falkland Islands.
Answered by: Penny MordauntTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, what facilities are available in the Falkland Islands for the repair of (a) helicopters, (b) ships and (c) aircraft; and on how many occasions military vehicles of each such type have been returned to the UK for repairs which were not capable of being undertaken on those Islands.
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publi ... -23/38103/Technical equipment and personnel are available in the Falkland Islands to conduct routine maintenance on helicopters, ships and aircraft. On-island records extend only to the last 18 months and in that time no helicopters or ships have been returned to the UK for repairs. Aircraft are rotated on occasion between the Falkland Islands and other MOD locations in order to best utilise the fleet and to conduct complex maintenance.
Answered by: Penny MordauntTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence, when he expects to deploy a Type 23 Frigate or Type 45 Destroyer as part of the South Atlantic Patrol Tasking.
http://www.parliament.uk/business/publi ... -24/38134/The Royal Navy conducts routine deployments in the Atlantic region. However, for reasons of safeguarding national security, we do not discuss the detail of such operations, as this would or would be likely to prejudice the capability, effectiveness or security of the Armed Forces.
The Royal Navy also maintains a permanent presence in the South Atlantic in the form of the Falkland Islands Patrol Vessel, HMS CLYDE, supported by a Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship. The Royal Navy's Ice Patrol Ship, HMS PROTECTOR, also operates in the South Atlantic region for periods of the year.
http://en.mercopress.com/2016/09/14/uk- ... h-atlanticThe British Government and the Government of Argentina have agreed to an improved relationship through closer co-operation on areas of mutual interest, including on trade, security and the South Atlantic. A UK-Argentine joint statement has been agreed and released on Tuesday 13 September, following a series of high level meetings in Buenos Aires with Sir Alan Duncan - the first Foreign Office Minister to visit Argentina since 2009.
During the visit Sir Alan met President Mauricio Macri, Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra and Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Foradori, as well as Senator Federico Pinedo, Cabinet Minister Marcos Peña and Strategic Affairs Secretary Fulvio Pompeo. He also attended a Business and Investment Forum and met Science and Technology Minister Lino Barañao, Transport Minister Guillermo Dietrich and Energy and Mining Minister Juan Jose Aranguren.
Both countries agreed the first positive statement on South Atlantic issues since 1999, which set out a commitment to work together on issues affecting the South Atlantic and the Falkland Islands.
They agreed to work toward removing restrictive measures around the oil and gas industry, shipping and fishing affecting the Falkland Islands in the coming months. Both delegations expressed support for a project to identify the remains of unknown Argentine soldiers buried in the Falkland Islands emphasizing the humanitarian nature of this work.
None of the discussions or the statement affect the sovereignty of the islands and the UK remains absolutely clear in its support of the rights of the islanders.