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Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno affirmed this Wednesday that the flag with the slogan "the Falklands are Argentine" displayed after the Albiceleste's triumph over England in the 2026 World Cup semifinals, "states a truth" regarding Argentine sovereignty over that South Atlantic archipelago.
"The flag states a truth," Quirno affirmed in statements to radio Mitre.
The foreign minister said that the display of the flag by players of the Argentine national team after the match against England played on July 15 did not harm bilateral relations with the United Kingdom, a country with which Argentina fought a war in 1982 over the sovereignty of the Falklands.
"What might have bothered the United Kingdom is the amplification given by the place and the moment where that issue took place. It was a completely spontaneous matter of a flag that was thrown from the stands to the players, who unfolded it," he commented.
"We have nothing to apologize for. The flag states a truth. There is no diplomatic crisis with the United Kingdom. We have a fundamental difference regarding the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands," insisted the foreign minister.
Quirno made these statements hours before the FIFA Disciplinary Committee announced this Wednesday that it had initiated proceedings against the Argentine Football Association (AFA).
Among other reasons, the proceedings target potential violations of rules prohibiting the use of a sporting event to carry out "manifestations of a non-sporting nature," in relation to "the display of inappropriate messages by the team and spectators."
The conduct of three Argentine footballers (Nahuel Molina, Leandro Paredes, and Thiago Almada) and a member of the coaching staff (Roberto Ayala) will also be analyzed for incidents that occurred once the match against Spain ended for the World Cup final.
Buque británico y proyecto petrolero
In this Wednesday's interview, Quirno also referred to the protest filed by Argentina before the United Kingdom on July 13 regarding the presence of the British Navy patrol ship HMS Medway in South Atlantic waters under the jurisdiction of the South American country.
According to the Argentine foreign minister, the ship sailed "without asking for permission" from the Argentine Foreign Ministry through the Strait of Magellan between July 4 and July 8.
"According to them, the ship was carrying supplies to Antarctica in July. We all know that in July no campaigns to Antarctica are carried out," said Quirno.
The foreign minister also referred to the 'Sea Lion' oil project, in waters surrounding the Falklands, from the Israeli oil company Navitas and the British company Rockhopper.
Quirno affirmed that the permit for that project, granted by the local authorities of the islands under British rule, is a "unilateral" license granted by an "illegitimate government in the Falklands."
[Publicidad]