The UK wants Argentina to return a debt prior to the war
The UK wants Argentina to return a debt of 45 billion pounds (71.41 million dollars at current exchange rates) for a loan in 1979 to the military junta in Argentina, which financed, in part, weaponry used in the invasion of the Falklands, the Financial Times reported today (FT).
With that amount, the Government of Argentina purchased, according to the newspaper, military equipment and weaponry later used to invade the Falkland Islands, South Atlantic, whose sovereignty is disputed by the governments of both countries.
UK Export Finance, a division of the British Company, inherited the debt after Argentina does not repay the loan to British exporters, secured by the Government of the United Kingdom.
However, a ministry spokesman said the British Business newspaper said the government of David Cameron “has no plans to forgive the debt.”
According to the FT, Argentina goods bought with the money included two Lynx helicopters, warships and two Type 42 model.
An organization upon payment of this debt, “Jubilee Debt Campaign,” wants to set aside a debt “that was granted recklessly knowing that dictators do not invest in development.”
“Lending money to the military junta to buy British arms was illegitimate,” said Nick Dearden, director of the activist group “Jubilee Debt Campaign”, the newspaper said.
On April 2, 1982 marked the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War between Argentina and the United Kingdom, which ended on June 14 of that year with Argentina’s surrender.
That war ended with the death of 255 British and 649 Argentine three islanders.
According to some documents cited by the newspaper, in 1979 he was foreign minister, Labour’s David Owen, endorsed the decision of the loan, but at the same time expressed doubts.
Owen said that doubts were due to “size of potential arms sales to a regime whose human rights record is worse than Chile” and could “lead to a confrontation with us the Falklands. “
Don't Miss
Category: Mutual Funds
