[Australia]: Phonecall to Argentina

[Owen]

The Attorney-General, Senator Gareth Evans would ring the Argentine Minister for Foreign Affairs on a secure and encrypted line.

Naio90

 

[Naio90]

The Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs would tske the private call.

"Good morning Senator, how can I help you?"

Owen

 

[Owen]

"I would like to discuss transferring those detained Swedish nationals to Australia. We're keen to have Sweden return to the negotiating table but they are hell bent on these prisoners but have shown interest in allowing them to go to Australia until such time as an alternative agreement is made. Now that alternative agreement is what we have proposed in the GA and Sweden aren't willing to budge on it and we would like to see things get moving. Our offer is we will keep the Swedish nationals detained in offshore immigration detention, which allows us to hold them indefinitely without a trial as they are not Australian citizens and until such time as Sweden and Argentina come to an agreement or we finally sort out Antarctica in a codified international agreement/legal framework."

Naio90

 

[Naio90]

"We understand and value Australia's position during this whole process. However, we have the feeling that granting Sweden's demands would be further fueling their self-perceived air of superiority and manifest destiny.

We made a public announcement, directed at them, asking for the swedish officials in Argentina to leave the country according to the Vienna Convention. Stockholm just ignore it and now they want things their way.

We can see a way out though, thanks to your proposal. If Sweden were to plead guilty for ignoring the official demand from the Government of Argentina. It is basically shifting the blame to the State of Sweden for ignoring the 1963 Vienna Convention instead of blaming the swedish agents on their own actions.

This would allow the deportation of the swedish agents to Australia."

Owen

 

[Owen]

"Well if you shifted the blame from the individuals to the state would that not render the idea of deporting them to Australia useless if you were just going to exonerate the individuals? The point is we keep them detained, legally I may add, until further notice or agreement between Sweden and Argentina. It satisfies Argentina's wishes for them to be detained and for Sweden's wishes for them not to be in Argentine custody and therefore we can keep moving on negotiations instead of this gridlock.

Now we were in the similar situation with Sweden in regards to our scientists not leaving when demanded to. We understand the Swedish position not to leave. No one respects anyones authority in the Antarctic. Let's make that crystal clear. This is why, hence, we are trying to work towards an agreement so we're not in this situation in the further. But we cannot get that agreement as we are in gridlock because you have his personnel detained and we have offered a middle-ground solution to this. Don't be as stubborn as the Swedish were with our scientists, this Government does not need it, we've had enough aneurysms over this whole issue."

Naio90

 

[Naio90]

"We do not want to have anyone detained, or in the end, do not really care. The issue is keeping national sovereignty upright. We cannot accept foreign diplomatic personnel which we granted permit to work in Argentina to defy our own authority and have no consequences. That would be a dangerous precedent to set. Remember, we are not talking here of people on Antarctica, but in Argentina's own capital city. Imagine, foreign agents of a nation currently at war in the middle of your political and economical center. Its not only a national securty risk for us, but to themselves if they encounter extremist groups.

Would Australia allow to have agents working for the Government of a nation you are at war with running freely around Canberra?

This is easy, if Sweden publicly accepts it purpously ignored the Persona Non-Gratta Declaration, I'm confident the federal justice will allow immediate extradiction to the swedish personnel to Australia or Sweden."

Owen

 

[Owen]

"I'm in Government, I know what spin is and you cannot spin this. This is Embassy staff and me and you both know they are not threats, they are not spies, they are not military personnel. You cannot spin it into that, it will not work with me. But if your concern is national security, then we can take them off your hands and into our custody so they don't pose any further threat to Argentina.

Now may I remind you, it is legal precedence in Argentina and in any other nation that unwanted foreign nationals be DEPORTED rather than arrested. We made this point to Sweden and they refused to accept it. I don't see how you can also REFUSE to accept that. That is objective legal precedence when it comes to foreign "aliens" and I know that that is the case in Argentine law as it is in most legal frameworks.

You cannot put any demand on Sweden to do anything, we must be proactive about this rather than reactive otherwise we will not be able to reach an agreement on Antarctica. Argentina and Australia have the opportunity to be the bigger person here and I'm telling you it will help us in the long run when we are negotiating with the international community."

Naio90

 

[Naio90]

"Senator, lets remain civil here, I urge you to calm down. I know you are a person with a long career in politics, so you certainly must recall the times of the cold war and how embassies used to harbor not so legal activities on both camps of that conflict. In a state of war, we cant have foreign agents running freely around our capital.

As for refering to argentine law, please let argentine law be managed by the argentine justice. We are not talking of random foreign citizens, but foreign agents with accusations of espionage. Why did they not leave when asked so? If nothing changes, the federal court will look into the case, and if they are innocent, they will be released.

And finally, just like Spain mentioned at the assembly, why is always Argentina the one who has to "make a gesture"? Why not ask Sweden to just follow international law for once?"

Owen

 

[Owen]

"Because Sweden are difficult to deal with, we have found that out first hand, and Australia at the moment is attempting to figure out who is more difficult to deal with; Sweden or Argentina. And you are not making your case very well. Our government's absolute priority is getting an agreement on Antarctica and we are alas at gridlock. We are frustrated that this is taking so long so we are asking Argentina kindly to agree to send these individuals to Australia which the Swedish has agreed will clear the roadblock.

Our scientists did not leave Antarctica when asked to, are they also spies? I think the word accused is the key word there. There is no substantial evidence they are spies. Now you can say a court will look into it, but that is a lengthy process and in this world and with the urgency of this matter we need the Argentine executive to use its executive powers to deport these individuals by force to Australia so we can move forward on an agreement with respect to Antarctica and you can end your declaration of war with Sweden."

Naio90

 

[Naio90]

"We understand your absolute priority and eagerness to make progress on this matter. However, you must understand that while it is important for Argentina as well, and that we would aso like to settle this for once and for all, we also must care about our laws and values. If we just let Sweden go away with this, they will keep doing this to us, to Australia, to Egypt and to any other nation out there.

The difference we see with your scientist is, first, they were unaware of the swedish presence and claims I understand, while the swedish had been given permission by Argentina to be in Buenos Aires and to work for the swedish Government there, under the protection and guidelines of the 1963 Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The moment we declared the Persona Non-Gratta, they were obliged to comply and leve if they did not wanted to have any consequences. Second, there is not the same potential threat to national security from operating scientists on a remote empty continent than in the heart of a nation.

Was it so hard for Sweden to just do as told once and for all?

The solution we offer you is that Swedem simply assumes in a public declaration that it was aware of the Persona Non-Gratta Declaration and decided to ignore it. They can say it, don't have to put it on written if they do not want to."

Owen

 

[Owen]

"They will not "go away with this" if we get an international legal framework in place. We believe Sweden to be a highly engaged and cooperative member of the GA. Argentina on the other hand isn't even a member of the GA so how can we trust you will follow a legal framework in regards to Antarctica better than Sweden?

But also I ask you, how you can make such a national security assessment of these individuals? If they were as you say persona non-grata, they would've been well aware of the fact that if they were spies operating for the Swedish government that their time was limited and their cover was blown? Why would they attempt to continue operating in Argentina as persona non-grata, under the watchful eye of the Argentine security agencies and incapable of doing the espionage mission they set out to do? Your claim that they would have, even though you have no evidence to suggest they even were, continued to operate in a manner threatening to Argentine national security is bogus.

They have made a public declaration that they were aware, in the Global Assembly. I think forcing them to declare that they ignored it is absolutely ridiculous. You have no evidence to suggest they did and what possible thing does it change if they did? And if they didn't, why would you want them to make it up? Seems pointless. Seems childish that that is all you're demanding. You're really not selling your case here and the world is watching and frankly the world couldn't give a wooden nickle about your values."

Naio90

 

[Naio90]

"We cannot make interpretations on why the swedish refused to leave, its their actions that are being judged. Sweden has in the past made their own interpretations of the law, disregarding other nations completely, therefore we are not with much interest in letting them keep on doing that. As opposed to Sweden, Argentina has not been brough to the ICJ and lost, and in this case, we are the nation respecting international law, not defying it. I hope you can see that.

Anyway, it seems that Sweden has clarified their acceptance of mistake and things can move on. The swedish detainees will be deported to Australia with your approval.

Ah, finally, if you intend to mantain relations friendly, we would value you to stop speaking of our policies as "childish" and "giving a wooden nickel about our values", thats not something to say ususally without a consequence."

 

[Naio90]

Owen

 

[Owen]

"You cannot make interpretations, yet you are doing just that?"

He would brief a sigh of relief.

"Alright then, if you will place the Swedish nationals onboard an Argentine Air Force aircraft or several and arrive at RAAF Base Pearce outside Perth. You will be given clearance to land and for your Air Force jets to land in Australia."

Naio90

 

[Naio90]

"An Argentine Air Force Boeing 767-300ER will transport them from Ministro Pistarini International Airport to RAAF Base Pearce outside Perth. We are speaking of 44 swedish citizens and their personal belongings. They should do so in the coming hours."

Owen