Argentina boasts of Falklands victory after Germany asks them – not Britain – for permission to dock at Port Stanley and Lufthansa says it recognises the islands as ‘Argentine territory’
- Argentina and Britain have both long disputed ownership of the Falkland Islands
- Lufthansa asked permission for two flights to carry scientists to Mt Pleasant
- They will then continue on ship ‘Polarstern’ which will dock at Port Stanley
Argentina has boasted after Berlin asked them – not Britain – for permission to dock outside the capital of the Falkland Islands.
German airline Lufthansa has asked for permission from Argentina for two flights from Hamburg to Mount Pleasant on the Falklands. The flights will support a polar research expedition because the normal route via Cape Town has been suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic.
According to Argentina, the request implies recognition of Falklands ‘as part of Argentine territory.’
Argentina said the German government had also asked for its permission for the Polarstern research ship, which the scientists will continue their journey on, to dock in Port Stanley, the capital of the British-held territory.
The two, 15-hour flights are scheduled for 1 February and 30 March.
Argentina and Britain have long disputed ownership of the Falklands, with Argentina for decades claiming sovereignty over the British-run islands it calls the Malvinas. The dispute led to a brief war in 1982.
Among the requests made by German flight carrier Lufthansa was permission to dock an antarctic exploring ship, the ‘Polarstern’, outside the Falklands capital of Port Stanley (pictured)
Argentina’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Lufthansa had asked its civil aviation authority and regional authorities to fly over Argentina and use the Argentine Patagonian town of Ushuaia as an alternative airport should it be unable to land in the Falklands.
The Foreign Ministry said the German Embassy also asked for authorization from the Argentine Naval Prefecture for the Polarstern ship to enter ‘Puerto Argentino,’ the Argentine name for the Falklands capital Port Stanley.
‘The relevance of Lufthansa’s request presented to the Argentine authorities is highlighted as it implies the recognition of the Malvinas Islands as part of Argentine territory,’ the Foreign Ministry said.
Lufthansa also asked for Argentine permission for two flights over the Falklands to support a research expedition to the Antarctic. The Falkland Islands are a British Overseas Territory
In the past year, Argentina has renewed its drive to reclaim the Falklands, appointing a Malvinas minister, saying it will redraw maps to emphasize its claim for use in schools and lobbying at the United Nations.
The German government did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
Lufthansa announced the alternate route for the flight via the Falklands in a press release on Wednesday touting ‘the longest passenger flight in the history of its company, marking one of the most unique flights the airline has ever carried out.’
Both passengers and crew at present are in a 14-day quarantine and their luggage sealed and decontaminated in a bid to try to keep COVID cases low in the remote region.