Argentina's President Kirchner wants Falklands from Britain

Argentinian President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner calls for the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands...

15:24 03 January 2013

The Argentinian President is urging David Cameron’s Government to hand over the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands. The news comes as the UK’s The Guardian, among other newspapers, printed an open letter where Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner calls for the action.

 

Ms. Fernandez wants the UK to engage in sovereignty talks over the Islands, also known as the Malvinas, and related to a 1960s UN rule calling for an end to the ‘colonialism’. This relates to 180 years ago when the Falklands were claimed by Britain.

 

According to Argentina’s President, the Islands were taken from Argentina. However, the UK’s Foreign Office has denied this. Based on reports they state there was no civilian settlement there in 1833.

 

Ms. Fernandez said in the letter: “The Argentines on the Islands were expelled by the Royal Navy and the United Kingdom subsequently began a population implantation process similar to that applied to other territories under colonial rule.

 

“Since then, Britain, the colonial power, has refused to return the territories to the Argentine Republic, thus preventing it from restoring its territorial integrity.”

 

The UK Government claims that the people of the Islands chose their own status, as a spokesperson from the Foreign Office said the islanders “are British and have chosen to be so".

 

It is believed the matter was raised between the Argentinian and British leaders in the summer of 2012 at a G20 summit, where PM David Cameron reportedly said there should first be a referendum.

 

A referendum will take place in March, 2013, where it is thought the people of the Islands will cast their votes on whether they want the land to stay with Britain.

 

Argentina took control of the Islands for over two months during the Falklands War, which was 30 years ago.