Argentina wants fresh talks with UK over Falkland Islands: Why are the nations at loggerheads?

Argentina has pulled out of its 2016 Falkland Islands pact with UK and demanded new talks over the islands’ sovereignty. Known as Las Islas Malvinas in Spanish, the islands located in the South Atlantic about 600 kilometers from the Argentine mainland and 12,700 kilometres from London have been long claimed by Argentina and were the cause of a brief war in 1982. Argentina’s foreign ministry said minister Santiago Cafiero “formulated a proposal to restart negotiations for sovereignty over the Falklands Question” in a meeting with his British counterpart James Cleverly during a summit in India. The Argentine government further invited the UK to “hold a meeting to settle” the debate at the United Nations. Let’s take a closer look at the Falkland Islands’ sovereignty row: Competing claims According to BBC, Argentina lays claim to the Falkland Islands through the Spanish crown as well as proximity to the Argentine mainland. Britain, meanwhile points to its long-time administration of the Falkland Islands. Just around 3,500 people live on the Falkland Islands with some the descendants of British settlers who arrived eight or nine generations ago. There is a sizeable community of immigrants from Chile but the islands retain an unmistakably British character. Tea and fruit cake is served in the parish hall after Sunday mass at the Anglican cathedral, cars drive on the left-hand side of the road and pubs host darts competitions. [caption id=“attachment_12239582” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Graphic: Pranay Bhardwaj[/caption] Early history of islands, Falkland Islands war Indeed it was an English captain that made the first recorded landing on the Falkland Islands in 1690, as per BBC. The first settlement was founded by a French navigator in 1764. The next decade witnessed Britain and Spain clashing repeatedly over the islands. By 1820, Argentina gained independence and lay claim to the Falkland Islands. A little over a decade later, a US warship destroyed an Argentinian settlement after three of its vessels were captured.

In 1833, Britain forced out Argentinian officials and appointed a governor.

Nearly 150 years, Argentina and Britain went to war after President Leopoldo Galtieri – who deposed General Roberto Viola in 1981 – sent troops to take over Falkland Islands on 2 April, 1982. [caption id=“attachment_12239532” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] Argentine dictator Leopoldo Galtieri waving to people gathering at the Plaza de Mayo square, from the Casa Rosada in Buenos Aires after Argentinian forces invaded the Falkland Islands. AFP[/caption] Many believed the military was using the conflict to distract from economic woes fuelling political discontent. The Argentinian troops also took South Georgia on 3 April. The move was condemned by the UN. According to Britannica, Argentina by late April had more than 10,000 troops positioned on the Falklands. However, most of these were raw recruits who were ill-equipped. In the UK, Margaret Thatcher, who was at the helm, responded by sending a naval force across the Atlantic. As per IWM.org, the British expedition comprised 127 warships, submarines, and requisitioned merchant ships. The British first quickly liberated South Georgia, then turned their attention to the Falklands. The poorly equipped and untrained Argentine troops stood little chance and on 14 June Argentina surrendered. Though Britain prevailed decisively in the 74-day war over 900 were left dead including 649 Argentinian soldiers, 255 British servicemen, and three women who lived on the island.

Britain also lost seven warships, according to Britannica.

Thatcher, back home, turned the victory into political gold and won a landslide victory in 1983. [caption id=“attachment_12239542” align=“alignnone” width=“825”] Margaret Thatcher shocked even her closest advisors when she sent a naval expedition across the Atlantic. AFP[/caption] Aftermath of conflict While the war is almost universally seen by Argentines as a mistake by the discredited military dictatorship ruling at the time, most citizens still believe the islands rightfully belong to Argentina. Meanwhile, many Falklanders commemorate the end of the war on 14 June as a day of liberation and continue to view Argentina with mistrust. In 2013, the islands held a two-day referendum in which 99.8% voted to remain British. Of the 1,500 votes cast, only three voted to leave Britain. However, Argentina did not abandon its claim, dismissing the poll as a meaningless publicity stunt. In 2016, the two sides signed the Foradori-Duncan pact in which they agreed to disagree about sovereignty, but to cooperate on issues such as energy, shipping and fishing, and identifying the remains of unknown Argentine soldiers killed in battle. Though the two countries now have cordial relations, the islands remain a constant source of tension as Britain refuses to negotiate with Argentina over its claim. [caption id=“attachment_12239602” align=“alignnone” width=“640”] People visit Gypsy Cove, near Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, May 2018. Reuters[/caption] In August 2022, Secretary for Falklands (Malvinas) Affairs Guillermo Carmona, in the backdrop of the Ukraine war, toured neighbouring countries to bolster support for his country’s claim over the South Atlantic islands. “Faced with this reticence, we respond with persistence," Carmona said in an interview. “We seek to consolidate our international position and take advantage of the current global context.” The world has seldom spoken so much about the territorial integrity of countries as it has since Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Carmona said. “This has shown up the double standard of some Western powers such as Britain that apply one criteria in Europe and another in South America,” he said, adding that Britain has violated Argentine territorial integrity since it took control of the Falklands in 1833. The official claimed Argentina has gained the support of the Group of 77 plus China in the UN decolonization committee, where South Africa spoke out for the first time at the last session in favour the Argentinian request for a return to negotiations. “Our diplomatic offensive aims to reposition the Falklands issue as a case of anachronistic colonialism in the 21st Century,” he said. In 2022, Brail allowed British Air Force planes to refuel on their way to the Falklands, accepting the British justification that they are humanitarian flights. However, Carmona claimed Brazilian support for Argentina’s claim is as solid as ever. “Argentina is asking neighboring countries to apply a restrictive criterion so the flights that are supposedly humanitarian are they are not reinforcing British military logistical presence in the Falklands,” he said. Argentina abandons pact, UK foreign minister hits back At the G20 talks in New Delhi, Argentinian foreign minister Santiago Cafiero informed UK counterpart James Cleverly that his government was abandoning the pact. In a series of tweets, he renewed Argentina’s longstanding demands instead for negotiations about sovereignty of the islands at the UN in New York.

“The Falkland Islands are British,” Cleverly retorted on Twitter to Cafiero’s thread.

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“Islanders have the right to decide their own future – they have chosen to remain a self-governing UK Overseas Territory,” he added. The decision was announced just as Britain’s minister for the Americas, David Rutley, was visiting Buenos Aires for what he called “productive” meetings. “Argentina has chosen to step away from an agreement that has brought comfort to the families of those who died in the 1982 conflict,” Rutley tweeted, calling the decision “disappointing”. “Argentina, the UK and the Falklands all benefited from this agreement,” he said. With inputs from agencies Read all the  Latest News ,  Trending News ,  Cricket News ,  Bollywood News , India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook,  Twitter and  Instagram.