PM describes Argentinian president's attempt to force A4 envelope into his hand during G20 summit as 'media stunt'
David Cameron and the Argentinian President Cristina Kirchner were involved in bruising verbal exchanges on the margins of the G20 as she tried to force a package into his hand marked "Un Malvinas".
Cameron refused to take the package believing, according to his aides, that she was involved in "a media stunt" ? a belief strengthened by the presence of TV cameras filming the incident and held by Argentinian government officials.
An Argentinian government official described Cameron as "sour" for refusing the letter and the Argentinian foreign minister was later strongly critical of the prime minister.
The package was an A4 envelope, and its contents remain unknown.
Cameron had sought out a startled Kirchner at the margins of the G20 in an anteroom before the first working session got underway. They initially discussed the previous day's agenda including central banks and the need for monetary activism.
Sensing she looked dazed and off-guard by his opening gambit, he then said: "I am not proposing a full discussion now on the Falklands but I hope you noted they are holding a referendum and you should respect their views. We believe in self-determination and act as democrats here in the G20."
British sources say he told her three times in a calm manner that she should respect the wishes of the Falkland Islanders.
The translator was struggling to catch up with her comments, but British sources characterised her response as "ramblings about Spanish headlines, the UN and the Malvinas". At this point she produced her envelope. British officials said Cameron had been right to reject the envelope since proper diplomatic channels existed.
The attempt to put an envelope in Cameron's hand mirrored an effort by children from the Falklands Islands to give Kirchner a letter setting out their love of their homeland as she attended a UN conference in New York on colonialism on Thursday.
Britain was also claiming a victory in persuading the G20 to reject her attempts to put support for some protectionist measures in the communique. The day before, in a speech to business leaders, Cameron had accused the Argentinians of busting a series of anti-protectionist laws in Kirchner's efforts to shore up her country's economy, and take control of the Falklands.
Hector Timerman, the Argentinian foreign minister, responded to the row saying "Nation states have the obligation to talk. We prepared an envelope containing various papers but the prime minister refused to receive it. Britain continues to refuse to talk and what surprised me most was that David Cameron did not go to the decolonisation meeting on Thursday."
Sensing a diplomatic opportunity, the Argentinians then called a press conference at the G20 summit to detail the crisis.
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jun/19/falklands-americas
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