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    Flicker of reconciliation? UK sends condolences to Argentina after crash

    Politics.co.uk – Thu, Feb 23, 2012

    By Ian Dunt

    The UK sent condolences to Argentina last night after a train crash killed 49 people in Buenos Aires.

    The wreck also injured over 600 others. Passengers claimed the train was travelling too fast.

    "I am very sorry to learn of the loss of life following the train crash in Buenos Aires today," said Foreign Office minister Jeremy Browne.

    "On behalf of the British government I send my condolences to Argentina. My thoughts are with the families of the victims, and with the emergency services still trying to help those involved."

    The tragedy could provide an opportunity for both countries to pull back from the escalating diplomatic rhetoric over the Falklands Islands in the build-up to the conflict's anniversary.

    Argentina recently pushed for countries in its regional group to ban ships with Falkland's flags from using its ports and branded the deployment of Prince William on search-and-rescue duty an act of colonialism.

    Observers will hope that the message of sympathy from the Foreign Office could subdue tensions around the disputed territory.

    The train crash is the third to hit Buenos Aires in six months.

    Argentina's transport secretary, Juan Pablo Schiavi, said one carriage had been flung up to six metres into the next.

    Hours after the crash, hundreds were still trapped in the mangled remains of the train, which was carrying over 1,000 passengers.

    Police claim the train's brakes failed as it arrived at the station, but that version of events has been contested by survivors.

     

    5 comments

    • Allan
      Allan  •  3 months ago
      has anyone conisdered thinking that expressing out condolences is based upon sympathy rather than fueled by politics: i'm sorry for what happened their to those people, but I wouldn't say it just to get them to be a little less hostile towards us.
    • Malthouse
      Malthouse  •  3 months ago
      Don't wish them any harm but it's not up to us to make reconciliation moves towards Argentine. The Falkland Islanders are the injured party in this dispute and their feelings should be paramount over everything else.
      • Kevin
        Kevin 3 months ago
        It is up to "everyone" to make "conciliatory moves", but that does not alter the political realities!
      • William
        William 2 months ago
        It is not up to every one to make conciliatory moves. This is political double speak. So a man who gets stabbed in the back should seek conciliatory talks with the person that stabbed him. Britain was stabbed in the back by corned beef Argentina. If the Argentinian government have nothing better to do than to argue over an island that they cannot sustain, even as they cannot sustain their own patch of land, what is the use of arguing over it? We are supposed to have grown men at the head of governments, not children.
    • Nik
      Nik  •  Leeds, England  •  3 months ago
      I know the incident was bad and the people are innocent but this is just pathetic. Do you think they give a #$%$ what the UK government thinks. If the UK government could pull their tongue out of foreign countries a**es for a few seconds and take a breather we may be able to get more work done at home.Cameron and his party are so busy trying to make buddies with the French that our internal affairs have gone a miss. Now the government is trying to kiss Argentina over as well. Don't tell me the UK government actually cares.These countries hate the UK I can't blame some of them but kissing their a** is not going to make a difference. Cameron and previous governments have let the EU and other countries walk all over the UK.
      • William
        William 2 months ago
        Yes, how right. Our enemies will be our enemies, come what may. You kiss your enemy and your enemy will hate you even more, think you a whimp, have no respect for you.
    • William
      William  •  Manchester, England  •  3 months ago
      It is sad and I am sorry about the injuries and loss of life . There is also respect that Argentina is very much a third world country when it comes to Health and Safety. The government in Argentina needs The Falklands conflict to deflect from other issues.
      • Kevin
        Kevin 3 months ago
        Traveled a lot around the UK lately? Talk about "Third World Countries" !
      • William
        William 2 months ago
        Yes, we are probably with Argentina on that one, and most of the states of America are looking like third world countries. The vast amounts of money wasted, by politicians, on wars, unecessary wars abroad.
      • William
        William 2 months ago
        Condolances without sincerity is hypocrasy
    • William
      William  •  Birkenhead, England  •  2 months ago
      The British government playing at games-manship. Condolences, without sincerity, constitutes hypocrasy
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