New Argentina Government Wants to Talk With Great Britain Over Falkland Islands Claim
Argentina's new government declared on Sunday that it will continue its claim to the Falkland Islands, a British Overseas Territory 300 miles east of South America's Patagonian coast. Newly elected president, Mauricio Macri has invited the U.K. to start a possible negotiation regarding the disputed islands and other territories.
"Argentina renews its firm commitment to peacefully settling its differences, to international law and multilateralism. Buenos Aires invites the [U.K.] to resume as soon as possible negotiations aimed at settling fairly and definitively, the sovereignty dispute over the Malvinas (Falklands) islands, South Georgia, South Sandwich islands and surrounding territorial seas," Macri said in a statement, per AFP News.
The 56-year-old president is not willing to use aggressive behaviour towards the British government, unlike former President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. He is expected to use a more subtle, appeasing way for his international relations regarding the islands they call "Las Malvinas."
"We have to restore this relationship that has been frozen in recent years, as a result of this conflict. We're talking about two countries which have a lot in common. For example, in terms of environmental concerns, innovation, culture," Argentian Foreign Policy Head Fulvio Pompeo told the British Media, per Forces TV.
The Great Britain and Argentina fought in a 10-week war called the "Falklands War" in 1982 over the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. A total of 649 Argentinean and 255 British armed forces servicemen were killed in the conflict, including three Falkland civilians.
Argentina has maintained its claim on the islands as an inheritance from Spain when it gained its independence in 1767. Britain has reasserted their rule over the islands in 1833, but many nations have settled over the disputed area including France and Spain.
According to BBC News, Falkland Islanders held a two-day voting referendum back in 2013 regarding their sovereignty. A turnout of 91.94 percent was achieved, with 99.8 percent voting to remain under British rule while only three votes were in favor of calling for a negotiation with Argentina.
"You don't get a much clearer expression of the people's self-determination than such a large turnout and such a large 'YES' vote," Falkland Islands Gov. Nigel Haywood said. Election observers from different Latin American countries including Chile and Mexico were present during the vote.
As of the 2012 census, there is an estimated 3,000 Falkland Islanders who are mainly of Welsh and Scottish origin with some descendants from France, Gibraltar and Scandinavia.
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