A change in government in this country has led Argentinian politicians to claim that they could win back the Falklands.

Foreign minister Guido Di Tella now intends to take the diplomatic battle over the islands to new foreign secretary Robin Cook.

One recent headline in an Argentinian newspaper said `One more year to solution for Malvinas' and Di Tella has drawn parallels with Britain's handing over of Hong Kong to China as he seeks to convince Argentinians that the fight for the Falklands can be won.

But Peter Pepper, co-editor of the Falkland Islands newsletter, said it was largely bluster.

`Times are hard in Argentina and whenever that happens they always beat the Malvinas drum.

`The Argentinians think that a change of government here will mean capitulation. Labour has said that won't happen but the Argentinians remain convinced there will be some sort of concession.

`Under the Neil Kinnock regime, some statements were made by the Labour party that led islanders to believe that they would not be protected as much as they were by the Conservatives should the government change.

`But the Labour party has given categoric assurances that it will not negotiate sovereignty of the Falklands unless it is the wish of the islanders. Quite clearly, it is not their wish.

`The islanders are all patriotic and very hostile to becoming Argentinian. If that were to happen they would all leave.'

Mr Pepper first went to Argentina in 1989 and remembered people there being quite hostile to the British. But he said the passage of time had modified the views of the average Argentinian, whatever their politicians might say.

End of the war
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