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- WORLD, Page 71World NotesDIPLOMACYSuch Good Friends
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- Argentina and Britain are still the Hatfields and the
- McCoys when it comes to the issue of sovereignty over the
- Falklands. But at least the two nations have agreed to abandon
- their antagonism and settle most of their remaining differences.
- After three days of talks in Madrid, Argentina announced last
- week that it was formally ending its state of hostility with
- Britain, seven years after London made a similar gesture.
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- The rapprochement includes an immediate resumption of
- consular ties, restoration of air and sea links between London
- and Buenos Aires and the lifting of all financial restrictions
- between the two countries. Britain also removed its prohibition
- on Argentine merchant and fishing ships within a 150-mile radius
- of the Falklands and agreed to help Argentina repair economic
- links with the European Community.
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- Nonetheless, Britain refused to reduce its 2,500-man
- garrison in the Falklands. And the best either side could do on
- the sovereignty issue was to agree not to tackle the problem
- just yet. But the omens are good for their next meeting, at
- which they expect to renew diplomatic ties: they will reconvene
- on Valentine's Day.
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