Argentina sticks to policy

Press, 14 July 1982, Page 8

Argentina sticks to policy

NZPA-Reuter Buenos Aires The Argentinian Foreign Minister (Mr Juan Aguirre Lanari) said yesterday Britain’s decision to release all 593 remaining Argentine prisoners-of-war captured in the Falklands conflict, was a positive gesture. Mr Aguirre said that Argentina had not accepted a formal cessation of hostilities. but was maintaining a de facto cease-fire. “What we have said is that Argentina maintains a de facto cessation of hostilities, and thereebas been no change in our policy, because we cannot accept any kind of political conditioning." he said. Argentine officials had earlier said that there would not be definitive peace in the south Atlantic if Britain continued to reject talks on Argentina's sovereignty claims over the islands. Mr Aguirre said that he had received no formal notification from Britain on the prisoners’ release. But Britain has said that Argentina has accepted an effective end of hostilities.

As a result. Britain will repatriate the remaining prisoners-of-war. The British Foreign Office said that Britain was satisfied that Argentina had accepted that active hostilities were at an end. The Argentine prisoners would be sent home “as soon as detailed arrangements could be made." However, the total exclusion zone around the Falklands and the sanctions against Argentina would remain in force, although they are under consideration. The crucial messages between the two governments, •which have brought the fighting officially to a close, came over the week-end via the Swiss Embassy in Buenos Aires, which acted as intermediary. The British Government had been trying for some weeks to secure the necessary indications from Buenos Aires that hostilities were at an end. Meanwhile. President Ronald Reagan has lifted economic sanctions against Argentina imposed on April

30 because of the Falklands crisis. The sanctions included the withholding -of new ExportImport Bank credits, insurance and new Commodity Credit Corporation guarantees. A White House deputy press . secretary, ; Larry Speakes, said that no decision had been reached on whether to end the suspension of military sales to Argentina.