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Falkland conflict remembered in Britain, Argentina
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 14 - 06 - 2007


Commemorations to mark the 25th anniversary of the
end of the Falkland Islands conflict between Britain and Argentina
were held in Britain Thursday, attended by Queen Elizabeth II, Tony
Blair and former Conservative prime minister Margaret Thatcher, according to dpa.
The Falkland Islands, in the South Atlantic off the shores of
Argentina, were "liberated" by British forces on June 14, 1982, two-
and-a-half months after they had been invaded by Argentina.
A total of 255 British servicemen and more than 650 Argentines
were killed in the conflict.
Thursday's service at the Falklands Memorial Chapel in Pangbourne,
outside London, was attended by veterans, military leaders and
relatives of the British war victims.
For many, the church service offered an opportunity to remember
the 150 British war dead in Iraq, and those who have died in
Afghanistan, commentators aid.
Moments before the Service of Thanksgiving began, four Harrier
jets performed a flypast above the chapel.
Thatcher, 81, who despatched a British task force to the islands
in 1982, said in a radio address Wednesday that the war had been
justified and sacrifices were made for a "noble cause."
Argentinian President Nestor Kirchner refuted her claim, saying
the British victory was "unacceptable in the eyes of the world and
resulted in a huge massacre of young Argentinian soldiers and
officers."
The hardline Peronist leader vowed Thursday that Thatcher may have
won the battle, but "we will win the war for justice." Argentina
still claims the islands for its own, although the British have been
there since 1833. Britain says it would cede independence to the
islands if the 2,000 residents so voted.
At the time of the war in 1982, Buenos Aires challenge to Britain
was intended to unify a badly split Argentinian nation, which drafted
and sent thousands of unprepared and untrained young men into battle.
The defeat was the final blow for the Argentinian military regime and
led the way to open elections in the South American Country.
Thatcher on the other hand took wind in her sails of leadership
from the victory.
There were no speeches Thursday, but Thatcher was prominent among
the congregation, which included Prime Minister Tony Blair and his
wife, Cherie.
The Queen, also 81, later placed a commemorative stone from one of
the battle sites on a memorial cairn near the Chapel.
Defence Secretary Des Browne said before the service that the
liberation of the Falkland Islands had been a "huge achievement."
"As we remember the service and sacrifice our armed forces gave 25
years ago, we remember too those who continue this proud tradition on
operations around the world today," he said.
Events to mark the anniversary were taking place all over Britain
Thursday, culminating in a veterans' parade and a ceremonial flypast
in London Sunday.
Commemorations on the Falkland Islands Thursday were joined
by Prince Edward, the Queen's youngest son, who laid a wreath for the
fallen British soldiers.
The island's parliamentarian Richard Davies told Deutsche Presse-
Agentur dpa that the memorial service was also intended for the
fallen Argentinian soldiers, for whom there was "great respect."
Edwards's brother, Prince Andrew, who served as a navy pilot in
the conflict 25 years ago, wrote in the Daily Telegraph newspaper
that he conflict had been a "life-changing experience."
Although war was "not glamorous," and indeed "it was dirty," he
remained convinced until this day that "it was our duty to recover
those islands," Andrew wrote.


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