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7 August 2013 3 September 2013
Main article: Falkland Islands sovereignty dispute
File:Malvinas-cartel.JPG
A sign at the Argentine-Brazilian border proclaims "The Malvinas are Argentine". Signs like this are found throughout Argentina.

The United Kingdom and Argentina both claim ownership for the Falkland Islands. The UK bases its position on continuous administration of the islands since 1833 (apart from 1982) and the islanders having a "right to self determination, including their right to remain British if that is their wish".[1] Argentina posits that it gained the Falkland Islands from Spain, upon becoming independent from it in 1816, and that the UK illegally occupied them in 1833.[2]

The present dispute began in 1945, shortly after the formation of the United Nations, when Argentina reasserted its claim of sovereignty over the Falkland Islands and its dependencies (primarily South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands).[3] In 1964, the United Nations passed a resolution calling on the UK and Argentina to proceed with negotiations over the sovereignty dispute.[4]

Later that decade, intending to improve its relations with South America by transferring the Falkland Islands (with provisions to protect the islanders' way of life), the United Kingdom secretly discussed the subject with Argentina. However, when the news became public, the Falklanders protested against the plans. As a result, the UK increased its focus on the Islanders' self-determination; Argentina disagreed, and negotiations effectively remained at a stalemate.[5][6] Subsequent talks between the two nations took place until 1981, but they failed to reach a conclusion on sovereignty.[7]

Diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Argentina, which were severed at the outbreak of the Falklands War in 1982, were re-established in 1990.[8] In 2007, Argentina reasserted its claim over the Falkland Islands, asking for the UK to resume talks on sovereignty.[9] In 2009, British prime minister Gordon Brown met with Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and declared that there would be no talks over the future sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.[10] As far as the United Kingdom and the Falkland Islands are concerned, no pending issue to resolve exists.[11][12][13]

Modern Falkland Islanders continue to reject the Argentine sovereignty claim. In 2010, Falklands correspondent Tom Leonard of The Daily Telegraph, wrote that "The 3,000-strong community is already proudly British [...]. The younger islanders may not share the older generation’s memories but there is clearly no love lost with the Argentines among them."[11] On 10 and 11 March 2013, the Falkland Islands held a referendum over its political status, and voters favoured (99.8%) remaining under British rule.[14][15]

Contemporary Argentine policy maintains the position that modern Falkland Islanders do not have a right to self-determination. Argentina claims that, in 1833, the UK expelled Argentine authorities and settlers from the Falklands with a threat of "greater force" and that the UK afterwards barred Argentines from resettling the islands.[2][16] Argentina reiterated its position towards the Falklanders in 2012, after a meeting of the UN Decolonization Committee, when its representatives refused to accept a letter from the Falkland Islands offering the opening of direct talks between both governments.[17] Moreover, in 2013, Argentina dismissed the Falkland Islands' sovereignty referendum. Argentina only recognises the UK government as a legitimate partner in negotiations;[18][19] and considers the islands, along with South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, as part of the Islas del Atlántico Sur department of Tierra del Fuego province.[20]

Main article: Falkland Islands sovereignty dispute
File:Malvinas cartel - Puerto Iguazú.jpg
A sign in Argentina proclaims "The Malvinas are Argentine".

The United Kingdom and Argentina claim control over the Falkland Islands and its dependencies. The UK bases its position on continuous administration of the islands since 1833 (apart from 1982) and the islanders having a "right to self determination, including their right to remain British if that is their wish".[1] Argentina posits that it acquired the Falklands from Spain, upon achieving independence in 1816, and that the UK illegally occupied them in 1833.[2]

The present dispute began shortly after the passage, in 1960, of the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 1514 on decolonization. Argentina then reasserted its sovereignty claims "before the United Nations special committee for non-self-governing territories". In 1965, the UN General Assembly passed Resolution 2065, which "called upon both Britain and Argentina to peacefully settle the dispute through bilateral negotiations".[21]

Later that decade, intending to improve its relations with South America by transferring the Falkland Islands (with provisions to protect the islanders' way of life), the United Kingdom secretly discussed the subject with Argentina. However, when the news became public, the Falklanders protested against the plans. As a result, the UK increased its focus on the Islanders' self-determination; Argentina disagreed, and negotiations effectively remained at a stalemate.[22][23] Subsequent talks between the two nations took place until 1981, but they failed to reach a conclusion on sovereignty.[24]

Diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Argentina, which were severed at the outbreak of the Falklands War in 1982, were re-established in 1990.[25] In 1994, Argentina promulgated a new constitution which "repeated the claim to the islands". In 2007, Argentina reasserted its claim over the Falkland Islands.[26] In 2009, British prime minister Gordon Brown met with Argentine president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and declared that there would be no talks over the future sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.[27] As far as the United Kingdom and the Falkland Islands are concerned, no pending issue to resolve exists.[26][28]

Modern Falkland Islanders continue to reject the Argentine sovereignty claim. In 2010, Falklands correspondent Tom Leonard of The Daily Telegraph, wrote that "The 3,000-strong community is already proudly British [...]. The younger islanders may not share the older generation’s memories but there is clearly no love lost with the Argentines among them".[29] On 10 and 11 March 2013, the Falkland Islands held a referendum over its political status, and voters favoured (99.8%) remaining under British rule.[30][31]

Contemporary Argentine policy maintains the position that modern Falkland Islanders do not have a right to self-determination. Argentina claims that, in 1833, the UK expelled Argentine authorities and settlers from the Falklands with a threat of "greater force" and that the UK afterwards barred Argentines from resettling the islands.[2][16] Argentina reiterated its position towards the Falklanders in 2012, after a meeting of the UN Decolonization Committee, when its representatives refused to accept a letter from the Falkland Islands offering the opening of direct talks between both governments.[32] Moreover, in 2013, Argentina dismissed the Falkland Islands' sovereignty referendum. Argentina only recognises the UK government as a legitimate partner in negotiations;[33][34] and considers the islands, along with South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, as part of the Islas del Atlántico Sur department of Tierra del Fuego province.[35]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Falkland Islands (British Overseas Territory)". Travel & living abroad. United Kingdom Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
  2. ^ a b c d "Argentina's Position on Different Aspects of the Question of the Malvinas Islands". Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores.
  3. ^ "Preface to a conflict". The Falkland Islands – A history of the 1982 conflict. Royal Air Force. Archived from the original on 6 June 2011. Retrieved 6 February 2012.
  4. ^ United Nations Resolution 2065, Question of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas). Falkland Islands Information Portal.
  5. ^ Chenette, Richard D (4 May 1987). "The Argentine Seizure Of The Malvinas [Falkland] Islands: History and Diplomacy". Marine Corps Staff and Command College.
  6. ^ Bound, Graham. Falkland Islanders at War, Pen & Swords Ltd, 2002 ISBN 1-84415-429-7
  7. ^ UK held secret talks to cede sovereignty. The Guardian. 28 June 2005. Retrieved on 20 November 2011.
  8. ^ "Argentina and the Falkland Islands" (PDF). House of Commons Library. 22 June 2010. Retrieved 17 August 2011.
  9. ^ "Argentina Reasserts Claim to Falkland Islands". VOA News. Voice of America. 3 January 2007. Retrieved 3 January 2009.[dead link]
  10. ^ "No talks on Falklands, says Brown". BBC News. 28 March 2009. Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  11. ^ a b Leonard, Tom (22 February 2010). "Falkland Islands: Argentina can't scare us, say islanders". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 13 January 2011.
  12. ^ Watt, Nicholas (28 March 2009). "Falkland Islands sovereignty talks out of the question, says Gordon Brown". The Guardian. London. Retrieved 29 April 2009.
  13. ^ "Falkland Islands Government Overview". Falkland Islands Government. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
  14. ^ "Falklands referendum: Islanders vote on British status". BBC. 10 March 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2013.
  15. ^ Brindicci and Bustamante, Marcos and Juan (12 March 2013). "Falkland Islanders vote overwhelmingly to keep British rule". Reuters. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  16. ^ a b Reisman, W. Michael (1983). The struggle for the Falklands. The Yale Law Journal. p. 306.
  17. ^ [1] Summers invites Argentina to sit down and enter into a dialogue with the people of the Falklands
  18. ^ "Falkland Islands: respect overwhelming 'yes' vote, Cameron tells Argentina". The Guardian. 12 March 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  19. ^ "Canciller argentino no acepta carta de los isleños". Terra. 14 June 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  20. ^ Ley Provincial (1990), Provincia de Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur
  21. ^ Laver 2001, p. 125.
  22. ^ Chenette, Richard D (4 May 1987). "The Argentine Seizure Of The Malvinas [Falkland] Islands: History and Diplomacy". Marine Corps Staff and Command College.
  23. ^ Laver 2001, pp. 126–131.
  24. ^ Richard Norton-Taylor and Rob Evans (28 June 2005). "UK held secret talks to cede sovereignty". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  25. ^ Zepeda 2005, pp. 102–103.
  26. ^ a b Lansford 2012, p. 1528.
  27. ^ "No talks on Falklands, says Brown". BBC News. 28 March 2009. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  28. ^ Nicholas Watt (27 March 2009). "Falkland Islands sovereignty talks out of the question, says Gordon Brown". The Guardian. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  29. ^ Tom Leonard (22 February 2010). "Falkland Islands: Argentina can't scare us, say islanders". The Telegraph. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  30. ^ "Falklands referendum: Islanders vote on British status". BBC News. 10 March 2013. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  31. ^ Marcos Brindicci and Juan Bustamante (12 March 2013). "Falkland Islanders vote overwhelmingly to keep British rule". Reuters. Retrieved 24 August 2013.
  32. ^ [2] Summers invites Argentina to sit down and enter into a dialogue with the people of the Falklands
  33. ^ "Falkland Islands: respect overwhelming 'yes' vote, Cameron tells Argentina". The Guardian. 12 March 2013. Retrieved 12 March 2013.
  34. ^ "Canciller argentino no acepta carta de los isleños". Terra. 14 June 2012. Retrieved 27 November 2012.
  35. ^ Ley Provincial (1990), Provincia de Tierra del Fuego, Antártida e Islas del Atlántico Sur
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