For the government, the new defense policy of the United Kingdom shows its weakness

For the national government, The review that the United Kingdom has made of its security, defense and external development policy corresponds to the spirit of a power which feels weakened and to the need to consolidate its so-called global position more than a growing nation. In the document, presented by the Prime Minister Boris Johnson, London sought to project the opposite image: it reaffirmed its strategic presence in the Falkland Islands and other overseas territories, set international priorities and targets for their growth and even proclaimed a possible increase of its nuclear arsenal up to 40% by 2030.

It was, in essence, the most comprehensive review of these policies since the Cold War in a pivotal year in which the UK is forced to rethink, for the first time, outside the EU. “Faced with the presentation made today (yesterday) by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson to the House of Commons, in which he presented an integrated review of security, defense, development and foreign policy, The Argentine Republic argues once again that the UK must listen to the international community that promotes an end to colonialism in the world“They responded from the Foreign Ministry with a statement.

It is essentially the most comprehensive review since the Cold War in a pivotal year in which the UK is forced to rethink itself, for the first time, outside the EU European.

The reaction of the executive Alberto Fernandez focused on the reaffirmation that the UK has made of its presence in the various overseas territories, including the Falkland Islands, but omitted, for example, the mention that London has slipped on Argentina as one of the countries it would bet to work with “to support our interests”. In the eyes of the government, these are two different sections of the message which must be interpreted separately and which prove that the British need to balance their old position with the new one, outside the concert of the European Union.

“This situation is also part of a context of deep concern on the part of those who believe that Brexit has weakened the British position in the world and in particular affected by the exclusion of overseas territories. such as the Falklands, Sándwich del Sur and South Georgia and the surrounding sea areas of the free trade agreement with the EU, “said the official statement of the ministry commissioned by Felipe Solá.

In addition, he points out that “the considerations postulated by Prime Minister Johnson reiterate the traditional colonialist view of the United Kingdom“by which” it maintains the illegitimate presence in the South Atlantic, with the aim of appropriating the wealth that exists there and of controlling both access to Antarctica and the bioceanic passage between the Atlantic and the Peaceful. “, the Government reiterated its rejection of the militarization of the South Atlantic, insofar as the revised British strategy confirms this orientation of its defense policy.

“The call to the military contrasts with everything the world is asking for in terms of multipolarity. That in the midst of the pandemic it is talking about increasing its nuclear capacity by 40% seems absurd to us, whether or not this has an impact on the South Atlantic “., expressed at PROFILE Daniel Filmus, Secretary of the Falklands, Antarctica and South Atlantic. Part of the integrated review of UK strategy is not only to identify potential threats, but also to secure an “insurance policy” through nuclear deterrence, raising its nuclear warhead cap from 180 to 260 currently. .

However, the document presented by Johnson to his country’s parliament states that “we will deepen our ties with Brazil and Mexico, strengthening alliances in trade, innovation, climate, security and development” and justifies the willingness to “work with Argentina, Chile and Colombia to support our interests.” From the government, they reaffirm their full readiness to negotiate on the most diverse issues as long as the issue of the chapter on sovereignty over the Falklands, Sandwiches and South Georgia is on the agenda.

“That in the midst of the pandemic, they are talking about increasing their nuclear capacity by 40% seems absurd to us, whether or not that has an impact on the South Atlantic,” says Filmus.

The UK’s exit from the European Union was a self-inflicted shock that London still seeks to assess. Not only has it lost its link in recent decades with the continent to which it belongs, but it has also severed commercial ties with third parties that the bloc has been able to forge throughout its history. Among them, Mercosur, although the agreement is still being verified, signed and ratified and is still far from being fully implemented. In reality, London specifically cited its intention to move forward not only with Mercosur but also with the Pacific Alliance in separate agreements.

Hence the government’s reading of the mention of Argentina and Brazil in this full British review, in the section that refers to the wealth of the region. It lists, in particular, “23% of tropical forests, 30% of the world’s freshwater reserves and 25% of the world’s arable land. They stress that, unlike France and other agricultural countries which have presented their differences to move forward in the EU-Mercosur agreement, the British economy is an economy complementary to those of these latitudes. And for that, the approval of Argentina is required.

Knowing this, Argentina’s position has been to seek to differentiate the position of the rest of Europe from the British now that they are no longer bound by the bloc’s engagement. They take as a witness the decision of the EU not to accompany the United Kingdom in its territorial dispute over the Chagos Archipelago with the State of Mauritius. Interestingly, London itself claims in the document that it can now “make independent political and economic decisions based on its interests and not those of its allies”, in a so-called test of strength based on the new emerging margins. after Brexit. For another, a simple bluff.