Brazil snubs nose to Royal Navy

[Armand2REP]

Brazil sides with Argentina against Britain as Falklands warship is turned away from Rio

By David Gardner
Last updated at 11:48 AM on 11th January 2011


Brazil appeared to be taking sides against Britain in the long-running dispute over the Falkland Islands by refusing permission for a Royal Navy ship to dock in Rio de Janeiro.

HMS Clyde, which patrols the waters around the Falklands, was forced to switch course to Chile after being rebuffed by the Brazilians.

The snub was being seen last night as a clear sign that new left-wing Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff was trying to curry favour with Argentina.
Snubbed: HMS Clyde, pictured in Portsmouth, was forced to switch to Chile after the rebuff by the Brazilians

Snubbed: HMS Clyde, pictured in Portsmouth, was forced to switch to Chile after the rebuff by the Brazilians

Miss Rousseff is due to visit Buenos Aires next month to discuss improving trade relations on her first official trip abroad.

Up until recently, Britain has enjoyed a cordial relationship with Brazil and the Navy has never been prevented from docking at the country's ports.
New approach: Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff, pictured in Brasilia yesterday, is thought to be playing the 'anti-colonial' card

New approach: Brazil's President Dilma Rousseff, pictured in Brasilia yesterday, is thought to be playing the 'anti-colonial' card

But Argentina has increasingly tried to put pressure on its neighbours to make life difficult for the Falklands patrol ships.

And foreign policy analysts claimed the new Brazilian president was trying to play the 'anti-colonial card' to satisfy the left-wing factions of her Worker's Party.

In September last year, HMS Gloucester, a type 42 destroyer, was barred from entering Montevideo in Uruguay to pick up fuel and supplies.

It was the second time Argentina's much smaller neighbour has blocked British ships to show solidarity in the Falklands controversy.

The Argentine government of President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner was said to be 'satisfied' at the Brazilian move, according to the newspaper Clarin.

A Foreign Office spokesman tried to play down the incident.

He said: 'We can confirm that HMS Clyde had planned to make a routine port stop in Rio de Janeiro in early January.

'Brazil did not grant diplomatic clearance this time. We respect Brazil's right to make such a decision. We have a close relationship with Brazil.

'The UK-Brazil defence co-operation treaty signed last September is a good example of our current strong links.'

Flashback: An Argentinean bomb exploding on board the Royal Navy frigate HMS Antelope, killing the bomb disposal engineer who was trying to defuse it, in 1982



Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...ds-warship-turned-away-Rio.html#ixzz1AncuKpfb

 

[shuvo@y2k10]

it is an suitable reply to to colonial monsters of the past like britain.india should also reciprocate such moves if it royal navy and other european,us navies ships wishes to dock in indian shipyards trying to patrol indian ocean region.india must make itself the undispted superpower of the indian ocean.

 

[Ray]

it is an suitable reply to to colonial monsters of the past like britain.india should also reciprocate such moves if it royal navy and other european,us navies ships wishes to dock in indian shipyards trying to patrol indian ocean region.india must make itself the undispted superpower of the indian ocean.

Good point.

However, is the Indian Navy that powerful so as to keep predators from swarming the Indian Ocean to India's strategic detriment?

If the Indian Navy can do that, then it sure is a good proposition.

Also, if India could do without western weaponry and diplomatic support, it would be an even better idea!

 

[LETHALFORCE]

This is good policy by neighboring countries instead of being proxies and doing the dirty work of bigger powers to stand united against external threats.

 

[Ray]

This is good policy by neighboring countries instead of being proxies and doing the dirty work of bigger powers to stand united against external threats.

And India is doing that?

What is the geopolitical and geostrategic scenario?

That is the bottom line.

 

[Armand2REP]

Good point.

However, is the Indian Navy that powerful so as to keep predators from swarming the Indian Ocean to India's strategic detriment?

If the Indian Navy can do that, then it sure is a good proposition.

Also, if India could do without western weaponry and diplomatic support, it would be an even better idea!

Argentina has many friends in its region to help back up its claims, Brasil being the strongest but also with many others like Venezuela, Uruguay, Peru, Chile... they all support the Argies. Nobody is really stepping up to back Indian claims, but then India don't really have many claims.