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Subscribe to RSSBritain’s Falkland Islands are to hold a referendum on their "political status" - hoping to bring an end to the continuing dispute with Argentina over the islands' sovereignty, their government said Tuesday.
Britain and Argentina in 1982 went to war over the South Atlantic islands, and 30 years later tensions have escalated between the two nations.
Cristina Fernandez, Argentina's president, has asserted her country's claims to the islands - known in Spanish as Las Malvinas – and has asked for negotiations with Britain to end their “colonial” control from London.
The referendum is expected to take place in the first half of 2013.
Read more on this story at ITV News
Gavin Short, chairman of the Legislative Assembly for the Falkland Islands, said he hoped a referendum would indicate islanders are "certain" about their future.
Mr Short said: “I have no doubt that the people of the Falklands wish for the islands to remain a self-governing overseas territory of the United Kingdom.
An Argentinian television ad showing an Olympic hopeful training on a British war memorial in the Falklands has been branded a "stunt" by foreign secretary William Hague. ITN reports.
“We certainly have no desire to be ruled by the government in Buenos Aires, a fact that is immediately obvious to anyone who has visited the islands and heard our views.”
Will Prince William's tour of duty reignite simmering Falklands dispute?
Britain’s Foreign Office Minister, Jeremy Browne, who is visiting the islands, said: “Only the Falkland Islands people can determine how they wish to be governed, so I very much support this initiative by the Falkland Islands government. Indeed, I believe this referendum is a truly significant moment.”
The islands are 7,780 miles from the UK and 1,140 miles from Buenos Aires. They have been under British control since 1833 apart from during the brief conflict.
The Falkland Islands conflict lasted 74 days in 1982.
ITV News is the UK partner of NBC News.
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The Falklands have never been part of Argentina and they have no claim to the islands.The referendom will confirm what everyone knows .The residents are British and want to stay that way!
The residents are colonialists. Fair would be a partition like in Cyprus.
Alexis you mean the one or two who want to succeed would have a little island of their own? There isnt different nationalities on the islands, its all British.
Partition between what? People and Sheep? There are no (repeat) no Argentine nationals or people of Argentine descent living in the islands. The only reason Argentina wants it is the possibility there may be oil in the ocean near the islands.
Huh? Oh, I see... So, by the same logic the mainland US should be partitioned with the native Americans because all non native-Americans are "colonialists" too? What part of the country do they get? I'd say they can start with California and NY, but they may not want either.
This is a charade, all the Argentinian/Hispanic/Spaniard people were kicked out many years ago, the voters are all colonialist Britons and of course they will vote to stay with Britain. The only way for Argentina was by force, they tried in 1982, they lost, move on.
Didn't Argentina lose because we stuck our American noses into that fight? And if I remember correctly, that would have been a violation in Britain's part under the Monroe Doctrine.
The British armed forces were more than capable of dealing with the Argentine army. Indeed, they sunk Argentina's only WWII vintage battleship and shot down much of its air force. The Americans provided some logistic support as the (military) Argentinian government had attacked the Falklands without warning (in order to distract their domestic opposition within Argentina).
About 70 percent are of British descent, primarily as a result of Scottish and Welsh immigration to the islands. People from the United Kingdom who have obtained Falkland Island status are known locally as
'belongers'.
A few Islanders are of French, Gibraltarian, Portuguese and Scandinavian descent. Some are the descendants of whalers who reached the Islands during the last two centuries. There is also a small minority of South American, mainly Chilean origin, and in more recent times many people from Saint Helena have also come to work and live in the Islands.
With retrospective effect from 1 January 1983, as provided in the British Nationality (Falkland Islands)
Act 1983, the Falkland Islanders have been full British citizens. From the Argentine position, the Falklanders are Argentine citizens and may request an Argentine birth certificate, Documento Nacional de Identidad, and Argentine passport, if they wish so. [Not any takers on this offer yet]
Mr. trust2112 -
There were no U.S. airplanes, ships, nor soldiers in the Falkalnds exclusion zone during the fray with Argentina. Base conclusions on facts rather than speculaton or rumor.
There was absolutely no American involvement in the Falklands war. We Brits did this on our own. I have friends who live there, they are British, they could become Argentinian if they want but they never have.
If the people who live on the Island want to be British let them, if they want tobecome part of Argentina let them, last time I checked it's their choice.
It's logical, the self proclaimed "Queen" Cristina I of Argentina (she feels that way) is again trying to distract attention from the true problems of her country, just as the Junta did so many years ago, by creating external "enemies".
Following Chavez's fascist playbook line by line.
Trust2112 - the Falkland Island Conflict caused the US a major headache as to who to support: long-time ally UK or more recent ally anti-Communist President-General Galtieri. The US was very reticent to announce overt support for the UK - though did provide some intelligence.
What the article fails to mention is the near-1000 deaths the 1982 cost - the Islanders don't seem too ready to forget the 258 British servicemen who sacrificed their lives so the Islanders could decide whether they wanted to live under an Argentinian military dictatorship.
But will a decisive win by the "stay British" vote shut up Argentina? You know - and they know - they will loose such a referendum. Likely they will say the vote was "rigged" because essentially the only ones barmy enough to live there are British, so no people of Argentinian ancestry to vote otherwise.
They will either fall back to their claims of the sea captian who briefly visited one of the islands - and left! - or else they will just continue the embargo of travel and fishing, or just jump for another military invasion. As if the UK government could mount a reprise of the Falklands war minus the Carrier and Harriers!
Well, was discovered by the Dutch first, then rediscovered by the British. First settlement was by France, which then gave the islands to the Spanish (administered from Buenos Aires, now Argentina). British settled shortly thereafter and then they left. Argentinians then settled it, but got tried for piracy (lol). Then they re-settled, and were forced to leave by the British Navy.
So really, Argentina would have as much a claim, perhaps more so. But possession is 9/10 the law. In my opinion, the referendum is a joke, because the colonists are all British. Argentina won't accept it anyways, so it proves nothing. But it's their money to waste, so whatever...
Are they far enough south to have penguins in their history? Maybe they should be consulted . . .
(Don't any PETA people or "trools" jump on this - twas only for a chuckle.)
The Falklands are a UK possession that wants to remain that way and that will be very clearly demonstrated by a referendum.
If Argentina decides to embark on another war of aggression, the outcome will be difficult to predict because the British have allowed their naval power to wither. Their lack of carriers to project air power in that potential conflict is no one's fault but their own. It is all well and good to have "right" on your side, but you also need some "might" to protect your interests. Maybe the UN will help them out (yeah, right - can't stop laughing). They better not be looking to the US for military support. It is not our fight and the UK is not some itty-bitty, impoverished country that should be pleading for our help. They chose the path of defense spending cuts.
if Argentina invades the Falklands the US as well as the rest of NATO is treaty bound to come to the aid of the UK as they are a member of NATO and an act of aggression towards one is an act towards all. much like it was a NATO that invaded Afghanistan and not the US alone.
It didn't happen in 82 and it won't happen now.
Yup. It didn't happen in '82 although we were probably better prepared then to do so than now.
Nope... If Argentina invades this will wind up being some UN drama and will devolve into hand-wringing and resolutions and maybe even sanctions but Argentina is about broke anyway, so what more can be done to them with sanctions? Maybe the UK should dispatch some ground troops to garrison the place. The Argentinians were pretty inept in '82 and are even weaker now. It shouldn't take too much of a defense force to discourage an invasion. I'm thinking a cranky old man with a rifle and a mean dog ought to do it.
jms-3313728 I would like to call you some names, cause of you manifested ignorance, but not; the US has a treaty with the rest of the Americas, older than NATO, it was meant to prevent European powers from recolonizing the Americas, especially the UK and Spain. That is why the US should remain neutral at least, after all the Falklands is another European colonization of part of the Americas.
The treaty was last invoked when Cuba opened the doors to the Soviets.
Deerslayer -
My wife and I both thank you for that. LOL's
All in a day's work...
Actually during the Falklands war we covertly supported Britain by providing satellite and AWACS coverage. Having a mutual defense treaty with all south American countries including Argentina didn't trump our commitment to a NATO ally.
@romilio. There is no such treaty between the United States and "...the rest of the Americas..." what you are referring to is Monrow doctrine. This is a far cry from a formal treaty such as between members of the North American Treaty Association. US has no obligation to come to the defence of Argentina, it does have an obligation, under NATO, to come to the defence of UK if required. BTW to all of you who claim that US got involved in the Falcon Island conflict back in the 80s, you should have studied history better. No American solder, sailor, airman, or Marine was ever involved in that war. UK handled its business all by it self.
Ilya-2069799 -
It is you who needs an education - the US did INDEED provide covert aid to the British during the FALKLAND Islands War...that covert aid was provided to the US Government by....drum roll please...US SOLDIERS!!! Ta-da!! See what I did? I used facts!!
Perhaps you meant that no American service men were involved in the shooting and ground invasion...but the intelligence provided to the British BY the US was obtained by the US military...intel that was critical to the British....
NATO intervention didn't happen in 1982 because the UK didn't ask for Article 5 to be invoked. I can see the UK asking for US, Spanish, French, and Italian Naval help (four NATO powers with aircraft carriers at the moment). Now, whether they are willing, or can economically afford to help is another story.
The consensus is: neither Argentina or England. The Falkland Island becomes New Canada.
Since there is suspected oil deposits in the area Argentina will never give up its desire for the islands, also the fishing rights are very valuable. Understand they were trying to immigrate Argentineans onto the island to get the +50% necessary to succeed from Britain but the Islanders were kicking them back off the islands.
Is there an option of becoming independent of both the UK and Argentina?
Like a referendum is going to stop Argentina from insisting on absolute control of ther Islands, and moving to take that control if they think Britain is weak.
Argentina talks a great talk about colonialism and fairness and all that @!$%#, but the fact is they don't give a rat's ass about what the folks that live on the islands actually want.
Or have you forgotten they once invaded those islands and killed a whole bunch of people?
Yeah, those Argentines sure do deserve to own the Falklands.
Don't they.
LMAO
The Falkland War simply proved that Argentina didn't stand a
chance in hell to win a war against NATO. If you remove the
USA and NATO support, the islands would belong to their
rightful and obvious owner, Argentina. The nerve of the USA
to support these UK colonial dogs in a war with other 'Americans'..
A second rate power like the UK does not need to control a handful
of sheep herders on islands 7 thousand miles away. No wonder
the Scots want to part company with these British fools.
Once again, no NATO troops were involved in the Falkland War. It was UK, and UK only, that kicked Argentinean troops off the islands. The simple fact is the British were professional solders who were better trained, led, and motivated than their Argentinean counter parts.
I missed a bit of your logic. I lost you at the word The. It seems the rest was a bit hard to follow if you have a brain. But your propaganda, well I got that, didnt make any sense but i got it.
It's the ancestors of the Americans who were colonial dogs not my ancestors who never left the UK.
The UK is the only country that does not control anyone. The people of the Falklands are free do do as they wish.
The Scots can part company with the uk if they wish. That is what freedom is all about.
You know,, IGNORENCE knows no bounds here!!
I remember the conflict very well as I was in the middle of it unwillingly while on leave to visit and the Argentines SUCK at governing even them selves and they didn`t treat British POWS too well let alone the populace hence don`t blame FALKLANDERS will to stay BRITISH and Monroe Doctrine is MOOT especially during The Cold War and You say America stuck their noses?? So did the French and the Soviets on those Argentine poor excuses for a military at that time so get your research straight and shut your suck especially when you werent there..
You sound like a OBAMA dog your self and just as foolishly,,dangerously ignorent..
Argentina SUCKS!! period...Falklanders will have their say and will make mental midgets like you squirm for being so stupidly biased,,.liberal and ignorent like the rest of your benighted kind....
Good night Lap dog..
Argentina needs to get a clue. If they want to start a fight again,they should keep in mind that first of all,the British will have learned from their mistakes and successes. Second,the British have soldiers and pilots with actual combat experience from Iraq,Afganistan and Libya. And third,they have a sizable state of the art military. On thop of that,if it really looked like it was going badly,they would simply invoke the NATO alliance. The alliance recognizes Brittains claim over the Falklands.
The fact is,when there is a joint US/British naval taskforce carrying thousands of marines headed your way,your pretty much screwed. They are going to roll right over you,and there isnt anyone on earth who can stop them and no one is going to even so much as try to come to your aid beyond a few half hearted diplomatic protests.
The thing is,I dont pretend to know what would happen if Argentina sank a British warship,I DO know however what will happen if they were to sink one of ours. We will be very very angry.
Within a few days,every single last air defense site would be eliminated by F22s and B2 stealth bombers. Every single last ship in the argentinian navy would be sitting on the ocean floor. US attack submarines would hunt down and destroy ever single last Argentinian submarine. All Argentinian missile bases where they could fire an antiship missile would be eliminated.
Then the landings would come. Argentinian would be well advised not to try to fight battle hardnered marines that have spent years in Afganistan and Iraq.
Argentina should understand,they dont have a chance againt the British armed forces. But if by some chance they DID,thats ok too,becuase if it ever comes down to it, the US is going to be there for their British freinds,just like they are allways there for us.
The other thing they should keep in mind is,their larger quanity of ships and aircraft dont make it better for them,it makes it easier for us,becuase unlike Iraq and Afganistan where we have to hunt for targets in the desert,its whats known as a target rich environment.
...For what it's worth, the U.S. Marines took the islands shortly before the British did... Pirates operating out of there... Fortunately we then got out... The Brits took over shortly after we left... This was all prior to the fall of the Alamo in the U.S... which was in 1836... a long time ago... No Argentine government control... and major distance from mainland (in days of sail) so Monroe Doctrine did not apply...
...At the time of the Argentine invasion, Argentina was a nasty dictatorship that had caused thousands of its own people to disappear into "night and fog..." The invasion was a last ditch effort to try to distract the people... When the first Brits died during the invasion, "negotiating" was dead... The stupid thing was that the British government was trying to sell out to the Argentinians... just wanted a fig leaf like in Rhodesia... but the Argentinian government pushing for what amounted to "unconditional surrender..." and followed that rude approach with a ruder invasion...
...Like the PLO... the Argentinian politicos who make the wildest promises to the voters re the Malvinas are the ones most likely to get elected... and like the PLO they are in the worst position to negotiate...
...Maybe a generation from now if the Argentinian government stops making Saddam Hussein type threats... maybe something can be worked out... couple of flags at the airport type thing. But for now, any British government that gives in to the ridiculous Argentinian demands will be out of office... for a very long time...
Malvinas Island is too far from Britain but is lots closer to Argentina. On what ground Britain claims its ownership.?
The same grounds Aslaska is part of the USA and is not Canadian.
So China also has legal ground for the ownership of disputed islands in the south china sea.
Well Mr. Himmler, you can always give it back to them if you want.
;^D
Why is it that whenever a Chinnese national wants to make the China owns whatever we want rant, He uses a Germanic sounding name? Hey Germans speak Engrish fairly well. Its so obvious when you have such @!$%#ty grammer and start waiving the CHICOM flag what you are. Oh and why dont you also include a Chineese claim to the Falkland islands? Under your logic, you have a real shot at them.
@nhtaol
I thought the UK won them fair and square in a poker game. What's the problem?
The islands were uninhabited when discovered by the Europeans, first sighted by the Dutch with the French being the first to establish a settlement.
So the chauvinists of the Catholic Church are meeting their match. Good for the nuns!! The follow me blindly is not working anymore!!
I agree, Mn Cold; however, I think you're in the wrong discussion.
Ok, what is going on in Argentina that they have to manufacture another crisis. You lost the war, and British citizens on the islands want to stay British. Get over it.
Argentina was "colonized" by the Spanish so they have no more right to the islands than the UK. Hard to believe it has been 30 years since Argentina had its azz handed to them. Argentina's Pres is probably getting advice from her neighbor Hugo!
Take a look at Argentinian politics, notably the taxes and inflation. Who wants to be of that? The conflict the world is now looking at goes back to the Spanish Armada defeat. The spics are still trying to save face from that slaugther. Also the spics in Argentina have completly knifed their own economy in guts with leftest taxes, corruption and the incompetence that is indemic to any country that has its roots in spain.
Wow. So much heat in these discussions. Look: The people of the Falklands want no part of Argentina. These islands are a British territory. Their geographic proximity to Argentina is irrelevant. Residents of St. Pierre and Miquelon are content to be French citizens, and Canada has no extraterritorial designs on those islands. Canada and Russia are not trying to invade Alaska. The principle of territorial integrity is basic to the rule of international law. Every embassy worldwide depends on its legal status as territory of the home country. That's why U.S. Marines guard all U.S. Embassies. Argentina had it clock cleaned when first it tried to invade the Falklands. Should it try again, it will receive the same treatment. And yes, NATO is bound by treaty to aid other NATO countries, so the U.S. would again become involved, as well might Australia, Canada, or France. Argentina should learn what every child learns in the candy aisle at the market: Just because you want it, doesn't mean you can take it. There are rules about that sort of thing, and we all have to follow them, if the world is going to work.
Who cares who found the Island first. The people who NOW live on the Island have a right to decide for themselves who they want to be and they rule themselves right now, as a territory of the United Kingdom, or do the Argentinians intend to remove the people who have lived there for generations off the Island and then "colonize" the Island with Argentinians?
Most of the wars that happen arround the world are because people decide that they know better what is good for the people in an area. Democracy is self government not outside government.
PS I've been reading the posts just exactly how is the fault of either the GOP or President Obama, are we that fractured in this country that we have to make every discussion a them vs us?
I will support the Argentine claim on the Falklands when Argentina is handed back to native Guarani, Mapuche and others.
Of course, then there'd have to be a sorting out of territorial disputes with the Incas' descendants who colonized parts of Argentina before the Spanish arrived.
Anyone would think that there might not be a single square-foot of the planet's land that hadn't been conquered, colonized and contesed by one group or another throughout the Earth's history!