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Sean Penn attacks ‘Falklands colonialists’
Hollywood actor Sean Penn has weighed into the Falklands dispute amid growing tension between the UK and Argentina.
Just last week the UK was forced to dismiss claims it was “militarising” the situation in the South Atlantic by deploying nuclear weapons nearby.
Penn met Argentine president Cristina Kirchner in Buenos Aires and urged Britain to join United Nations-sponsored talks over what he called “the Malvinas Islands of Argentina”.
“It’s necessary that these diplomatic talks happen between the United Kingdom and Argentina,” he said. “I think that the world today is not going to tolerate any kind of ludicrous and archaic commitment to colonialist ideology.”
The Oscar-winner, 51, made the comments following months of escalating rhetoric between the two nations.
Most recently, Argentina has said it had intelligence that a Vanguard submarine had been sent to the area and demanded to know whether it was carrying warheads.
“Thus far the UK refuses to say whether it is true or not,” foreign minister Hector Timerman told a press conference.
“Are there nuclear weapons or are there not? The information Argentina has is that there are these nuclear weapons.”
The accusation, made through a translator, came as Mr Timerman urged the UN to intervene in the long-running row.
He said the UK was using an “unjustified defence of self-determination” to maintain a military base on the Falklands, which allowed it to dominate the Atlantic.
But Britain’s ambassador to the UN, Sir Mark Lyall Grant branded the idea that the UK was “militarising” the situation “manifestly absurd”.
Recently, Prime Minister David Cameron and President Kirchner have traded barbs prompting UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to issue a statement expressing “concern about the increasingly strong exchanges”.
Tempers flared after HMS Dauntless was deployed to the region, although London insisted the move was merely routine.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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Comments
There are 8 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
s4agilbert
Tuesday, April 24, 2012 at 12:46 PMPending Moderation
Bluesman
Saturday, February 18, 2012 at 11:16 AMSean Penn is a twit (I hope that I have spelled that properly). He wants to keep his big USA nose out of our business. For God's sake he is only an actor and not a very good one at that in my view. Isn't it funny how Argentina are 'ratcheting' all this up at a time when we are actually reducing our armed forces! Penn - keep your nose out!
RobRey
Friday, February 17, 2012 at 03:51 PMAh yes, colonialist America and their genocidal treatment of the Red Indian. Sean knows his stuff.
Steve L
Thursday, February 16, 2012 at 11:20 AMSean Penn - does anybody give a rats @rse what he thinks?
domwah
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 11:19 PMNothing will change... The Falklands will stay governed by the Falkland Islanders, who themselves will opt to stay an overseas territory of Britain. Fish Lips will stir up as much trouble as she likes (between cosmetic surgery) that gets her press coverage in Argentina. Sean Penn will continue to impart his 'wisdom' on all matters of little interest to people who continue to regard him as a douche bag. Britain will not discuss nuclear strategy, operations or deployment of capabilities, and therefore Argentine 'sources' will allege whatever they think will get more press coverage. The worlds gutter press will continue to flag this situation as of major importance, when in fact ... nothing will change.
11triton
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 10:26 PMSean Penn would know that the Falklands have been under continuous British administration since 1833 while California only became part of the USA in 1848. Would he call for California to be given to Mexico? And what about the wishes of the people who actually live there - Falklands or California - are they to be disregarded?
Colonialist
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 10:14 PMSean Penn has suddenly become an expert on the Falkland Islands? Does he realise that the Falkland Islanders WANT the British in charge of them? They don't want the Argentinians in charge of them! Obviously not. But let's look at the USA instead. Sean might want to consider the 3 million children who are homeless in the USA. The gap between rich and poor is now greater, far greater than in 1775 when they were complaining about our just taxes! The fact is that the Americans would be far better under the control of Great Britain than they are under a President. As colonies of us they'd have a far better welfare and the NHS. I'd say they should use their Constitution to rise against their own government and join the mother land: Great Britain.
codeguruj
Tuesday, February 14, 2012 at 09:40 PMI really have no respect whatsoever for Sean Penn. I make a point of not watching any movies that he plays in. His acting really stinks. But nevertheless, he believes that being famous somehow qualifies him to make statements about the self-determination of a group people that have never bothered him. There are no oppressed persons living on the Falklands Islands. Penn feels those people living there, who do not have any ties to Argentina and do not speak any Spanish, should somehow be forced to merge with Argentina. His logic is pathetic and ludicrous. Argentina's only basis for its claim on the Falkslands Islands is one of proximity. Sean Penn please shut your ignorant face.
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