LONDON — Argentina on Tuesday renewed its objections to the decision of Falkland Islands’ residents to state their allegiance to Britain, saying the islanders have no “right” to decide the fate of the islands claimed by the South American country.
LONDON — Argentina on Tuesday renewed its objections to the decision of Falkland Islands’ residents to state their allegiance to Britain, saying the islanders have no “right” to decide the fate of the islands claimed by the South American country.
“It’s not like we don’t understand the islanders in their efforts to ratify their identity: They are British and British law recognizes them as such,” said Argentine ambassador to Britain Alicia Castro on Argentine radio.
“(But) there is a right they do not have, which is to decide on the fate of our territory or to solve the controversy around sovereignty.”
Her comments came after British Prime Minister David Cameron urged Argentina to respect the referendum results, in which 99.8 percent of the island’s approximately 1,500 voters chose “yes” on the question of remaining British.
The referendum was organized in response to Argentina’s repeated claims on the islands in the South Atlantic it calls Las Malvinas.
“(Argentina) should take careful note of this result,” said Cameron Tuesday. “The Falkland islanders couldn’t have spoken more clearly. They want to remain British and that view should be respected by everybody, including by Argentina.”
Britain would always defend the islands, he added.
But Castro was quick to stress that, for Buenos Aires, the vote is just an “irrelevant” media stunt.
“What were they going to say? It’s a referendum organized by British people for British people,” she said.
Voting had been “free and fair”, according to Brad Smith, head of an international observer mission. Turnout was 92 percent, with only three people voting “no.”
Buenos Aires maintains that negotiations about the islands’ status should be held bilaterally, without the islanders, whom it calls occupiers.
The Falkland Islanders, who number just 2,563, warmly welcomed the results of the two-day referendum, which ran Sunday to Monday.
“Obviously it is a major principle of the United Nations that a people have their right to self-determination, and 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,” said the islands’ governor, Nigel Haywood.
“My family has been here since 1842 and that is longer than most Argentines have been in Argentina,” said resident Lynda Buckland.
Britain and Argentina fought a bloody war for the islands in 1982. They have remained a bone of contention ever since, with tensions recently resurfacing.
On the 30th anniversary of the conflict last year, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner pressed the issue at the United Nations. This year, she wrote an open letter to Cameron, accusing London of “colonialism.”
Argentine journalist Celina Andreassi said the referendum would make little difference to either side in the dispute.
“The issue for most people here is whether the territory is Argentine or British, not the people themselves,” she said. “Both sides are going to remain really strong in their position and we are probably going to continue where we are for a long, long time.”
