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Argentina was the only Latin American country to participate in the 1991 Gulf War under mandate of the United Nations and in every phase of the Haiti operation. It has also contributed worldwide in peacekeeping operations, including in El Salvador-Honduras-Nicaragua, Guatemala, Ecuador-Peru, Western Sahara, Angola, Kuwait, Cyprus, Croatia, Kosovo, Bosnia and East Timor. In recognition of its contributions to international security and peacekeeping, U.S. President Bill Clinton designated Argentina as a major non-NATO ally in January 1998. In 2005, it was elected as a temporary member of the UN Security Council. As of 2006, Argentina is currently emphasizing Mercosur as its first external priority, in contrast with its reliance during the 1990s on the relationship with the United States. In 2005, on November 4 and November 5, the Argentine city of Mar del Plata hosted the Fourth Summit of the Americas. This summit was marked by a number of anti-USA protests. Argentina claims the sovereignty of the Falkland/Malvinas Islands, the South Shetland Islands, the South Sandwich Islands and almost 1 million km² in Antarctica, between the 25°W and the 74°W meridians and the 60°S parallel. This antarctic sector is called Argentine Antarctica and is considered as part of the national territory, for many reasons, among which is more than one century of permanent occupation. |
Argentina Information:
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