"The dialogue we held today has highlighted concrete results and the progress we have made during these over 24 months of work, with constructive goals that enable us to create a favourable environment in various areas so as to build mutual trust and explore opportunities and potential benefits for the two peoples," Foreign Minister Jorge Faurie stated today at the Palacio San Martín alongside his British counterpart, Boris Johnson, at a press conference.
Faurie underscored "that we are really satisfied and moved by the results achieved within the framework of the 2016 statement, which allowed for the identification of the bodies of so many fellow countrymen that were buried at Darwin cemetery as 'Argentine soldier only known to God.' We acknowledge the efforts that we made in agreement with the British Government and with the support of the Red Cross."
The Argentine Foreign Minister underscored the work carried out by the two countries to achieve "an additional flight to the Malvinas Islands with a stop on the Argentine mainland, as well as the recent meeting of the Scientific Subcommittee of the Fisheries Commission to share information on resources preservation," and highlighted that all this progress is being made "without undermining in any way our sovereignty claim, which still holds valid for the Argentine Republic."
Foreign Minister Faurie thanked his counterpart for Great Britain's support for Argentina's negotiation with the IMF and for Argentina's OECD membership bid. He also noted that they referred to the bilateral meetings held in the fields of science and technology, trade and investment, transport, Antarctic cooperation, health and the projects on education, human rights and gender equality.
Boris Johnson stressed that the relationship between the UK and Argentina "is a relationship of great historical depth, which is moving forward to a new stage." "There is a synchronicity now in what Argentina and the UK are doing, regarding an intelligent reinsertion into the wider world. We are engaged in the same process," he stated.
As regards the progress in the economic relationship, he expressed his satisfaction with the participation of British companies in Argentina's calls for bids concerning energy, transport and infrastructure. "We are beneficiaries of Argentine investments in London. In fact, our people are the second largest consumer of Argentine wine," Boris Johnson highlighted.
Finally, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs of the United Kingdom stated that "the positions on Argentina's sovereignty claim are well known, but that should not preclude everything we are doing to boost our relationship."
