The province of Tierra del Fuego reported that a British ship flying the illegal Falklands flag circulated along the province's coast, raising concerns and leading to calls for a stronger national policy regarding the Malvinas Question. The Secretary of Malvinas, Antarctica, South Atlantic Islands, and International Affairs of Tierra del Fuego, Andrés Dachary, announced that they are working on a bill to present to legislators who defend the country's sovereignty.
The ship in question is a British icebreaker operating in Antarctica, currently in Punta Arenas for resupply operations. To navigate through Argentine waters, the ship uses the concept of 'innocent passage,' a right established in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea that allows transit without permission, as long as it does not engage in activities incompatible with peaceful navigation.
Andrés Dachary emphasized the importance of establishing complementary internal regulations that limit these passage permissions to vessels from entities not recognized by Argentina, aiming to prevent those flying the illegitimate flag of the Malvinas Islands from sailing in unoccupied territorial waters.
The secretary expressed his concern about the presence of the British ship with an illegal flag in Argentine waters and stressed the need for a firmer and more decisive state policy in the face of these unilateral acts that threaten Argentina's legitimate rights regarding the Malvinas Question. Dachary pointed out that although the Convention on the Law of the Sea supports the vessel's passage through certain waters, it is essential to protect national interests in such situations.
In a public message, Andrés Dachary stated: 'While the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea supports the vessel's passage through certain areas, it is clear that these actions affect the interests of our Nation.' The province of Tierra del Fuego seeks to remedy this situation through new legislation that protects its territorial waters and reinforces its position on the Malvinas Question.
