Blair to visit Argentina

Most Argentines want their flag to fly over the Falklands

Tom Gibb in Buenos Aires looks at the way Argentines remember the Falklands war

The British Prime Minister Tony Blair will make the first visit by a British leader to Argentina since the Falklands war later today.

It is 18 years since the end of the conflict, which left over 900 dead on both sides.

The two countries have now normalised relations - but Argentina still claims sovereignty over they islands - something which Britain is not willing to negotiate.

Any visit is welcome whether it is to my home which is Argentina - or to my house. The war is over now - it is past - we should put grudges aside and look for friendship. I think that one day by diplomacy we might see our flag flying on the island - that is what we hope.

Said Mearcelo

The Buenos Aries suburb of Bamfield is named after the Englishman who built the railway that runs through it.

Next to the station live a family whose son, Mearcelo Moassed, lies buried on the Falklands, where he died fighting the British.

Mearcelo's mother Dalal remembers vividly when he went to war.

"The day we said goodbye - which was a night in April - he was very happy. If I had said then come back home now - he would not have come because he was full of enthusiasm. Of course then he had no idea what the outcome would be. We try to understand all this in the most positive way - but the pain is still there."

Mearcelo was buried on the islands and his parents have twice travelled to visit his grave.

Despite his loss, Mearcelo's father, Said, says it is time to put enmity aside and welcome Tony Blair - even if the future of the islands are not on the agenda.

"Any visit is welcome whether it is to my home which is Argentina - or to my house. The war is over now - it is past - we should put grudges aside and look for friendship. I think that one day by diplomacy we might see our flag flying on the island - that is what we hope."

More immediately he and the families of others who died would like to erect a memorial cross in the graveyard where his son is buried - but he says this has met with resistance from the islanders.

At the Malvinas Veterans association in Buenos Aires, the soldiers who were sent ill-equipped to fight on a wave of nationalist enthusiasm, find the visit of a British Prime Minister who will not be talking about the war much harder to stomach.

They are planning protests to demand Tony Blair negotiate the issue of sovereignty.

Ruben Rada of the Malvinas Veterans association, says: "You British have a Queen - but for the Argentine people the Malvinas are our queen. We will always defend her. That's why there was a war. We will keep stuggling - by peaceful means - to get the islands back. This will be passed on to our children and grandchildren."

For new generations, however, recovering the islands is a much lower priority.

For new generations the economic crisis takes priority

With factories closing, economic crisis and the highest unemployment in the country's history, most would rather concentrate on the present.

"It could be a big issue if a political figure made it an issue to get the vote from the people and to say we are winning back the Malvinas. But, if not, nobody cares, because what is it the Malvinas? It's not an economic boom that can give you a better situation, it's just a political issue," said one young Argentine.

Bad memories

Another young Argentine said the war was just a bad memory:

"Most of the people and the boys who went to the war, they were very, very young, like seventeen, eighteen, and there were some people who died. That's why people remember, but not because of the land or anything."

Each morning the Argentine flag is raised above the memorial for the servicemen who died during the war.

Almost all Argentines would one day like to see their flag also flying over the islands they call the Malvinas - perhaps, some say, along side a British flag.

But the war itself is remembered as a tragic misadventure by unpopular military rulers which many supported at the time - but most would now rather forget.