Argentina: Malvinas claim recognizes Islanders “interests” and a “mature relation” with Britain

Argentina: Malvinas claim recognizes Islanders “interests” and a “mature relation” with Britain

Argentine Foreign minister Diana Mondino, “bilateral negotiations taking into account the interests of the inhabitants of the Islands”

The third of January has been an iconic date for Argentina’s claim over the Falkland Islands, since on that day but in 1833, the “United Kingdom forcibly occupied the Malvinas Islands over which ”a recently independent Argentine Nation was exercising sovereignty, given her condition of heir to such possessions of Spain in South America.”

That is the heading of the 2024 official release, a ritual in the Argentine Malvinas calendar, but this time under a new administration and foreign minister Diana Mondino there have been some significant changes compared to the previous backlashes from former governments.

In effect the release recognizes or announces that bilateral negotiations, “taking into account the interests of the Islanders” is a factor in the equation. Likewise, it reiterates the willingness of Argentina for the immediate resumption of negotiations on the Falklands sovereignty, “wishing to maintain a mature relation with the United Kingdom, contemplating a substantial and constructive dialogue on all those issues of common interest looking to create a confidence climate propitious for the resumption of negotiations”.

A difference from previous releases when Falkland Islanders were not even recognized as a people, and Britain was described as an usurper’. Follows the Argentine foreign ministry release.

“On 3 January 1833, the United Kingdom occupied by force the Malvinas Islands, a territory over which from the first moments as an independent nation, Argentina had exercised its sovereignty rights, taking into account its condition of heir of these possessions from Spain in South America. The action of the British government was an act of force in times of peace, contrary to International Law and never consented by the Argentine government, which immediately presented its protests.

Since then, all Argentine governments have reaffirmed its legitimate and imprescriptible sovereignty rights over the Malvinas, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands and the adjoining maritime spaces. The National Constitution establishes that the recovery of the effective exercise of our sovereignty over those territories, in conform with International Law and respecting the way of life of its inhabitants, constitutes a standing and unrenounceable objective of the Argentine people.

The General Assembly of the United Nations had characterized the Malvinas Islands Question as a special and particular colonial situation which involves the sovereignty dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom that must be solved by the governments of both countries through bilateral negotiations taking into account the interests of the inhabitants of the Islands. Likewise it has called on the parties involved to abstain from developing unilateral actions in the disputes area, among others.

The Argentine government once again expresses its willingness to resume bilateral negotiations which enables a solution to this sovereignty dispute, following on the pertinent resolutions from the General Assembly.

In this framework the Argentine government wishes to maintain a mature relation with the UK, which contemplates a substantial and constructive dialogue over issues of common interest looking to generate a confidence climate for the resumption of negotiations.

Numerous international and regional forae have pronounced in favor of Argentine sovereignty rights and the resumption of bilateral negotiations, such as the UN General Assembly Special Decolonization Committee, the Organization of American States, the Group of 77 plus China, Mercosur, the Iberian-American Summit, the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States, and the South Atlantic Zone of Peace and Cooperation, among others.

Convinced that the only possible course for the recovery of the exercise of its rights is the diplomatic path, Argentina reiterates its interest in the Good Offices mission commended by the General Assembly to the UN Secretary General, with the objective of helping the parties to resume negotiations with the purpose of finding as soon as possible, a peaceful solution to the sovereignty dispute regarding the question of the Malvinas Islands.

The Argentine Government and People reaffirm once again, when the 191 years or the illegitimate occupation of the Malvinas Islands, its legitimate and imprescriptible rights over the Malvinas, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime spaces.”

Buenos Aires, 3rd January 2024.