‘A further attempt by the British to manipulate the question of the Malvinas Islands’

The United Kingdom has called for a vote by the inhabitants that it implanted in the Malvinas Islands in order for them to decide on matters which aim to distort the true legal status of these islands. The Malvinas, South Georgias and South Sandwich islands and the surrounding maritime areas are the subject of a sovereignty dispute between the United Kingdom and Argentina which has been recognized by both countries as well as by the international community as a whole. Therefore, the United Kingdom has no right to alter the legal status of these territories, not even under the guise of a hypothetical referendum. Instead of complying with its international obligations by resuming negotiations with Argentina to solve the dispute, the British Government in an attitude that clearly demonstrates the absence of any grounds for its claim, and, above all, a lack of good faith — seeks to introduce elements aimed at distorting the definition given by international law to the dispute, which is reflected in several pronouncements by the international community. Aware of its international isolation with regards to the Question of the Malvinas Islands, the United Kingdom is clearly attempting to distort its dispute with Argentina and not to solve it. However, the United Kingdom cannot modify the dispute at will. This vote — as well as the many more polls or votes that the United Kingdom could make up in the disputed territories involved in the Question of the Malvinas Islands — cannot have its pretended outcome and does not exempt the United Kingdom from complying with the obligation imposed by international law, that is, to peacefully solve the sovereignty dispute with Argentina by resuming negotiations. The United Nations and several regional organizations such as the Organization of American States (OAS), CELAC, UNASUR, MERCOSUR and other international and bi-regional fora, such as the Group of 77 and China, the Ibero-American Summit, the Africa-South America Summit (ASA), the Summit of South American-Arab Countries (ASPA) and the South Atlantic Peace and Cooperation Zone (ZPCAS) have urged the United Kingdom and Argentina to resume these negotiations precisely to solve this dispute. The Argentine Constitution specifically protects the way of life of the population of the Malvinas Islands. Meanwhile, UN General Assembly Resolution 2065 (XX) calls upon both parties in the dispute. Argentina and the United Kingdom, to bear in mind the interests of such population. On the basis of this mandate, the Argentine Republic regrets these initiatives by the United Kingdom, which are both irresponsible and lacking in good faith, and urges it to seriously reconsider its policy directed to misinforming about the legal and political facts of the dispute territory. This British initiative is not in line with any of the 40 United Nations resolutions on the Question of the Malvinas Islands, which is considered to be a special and particular case of decolonisation, in which the existence of a sovereignty dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom must be settled through bilateral negotiations, taking into account the interests (not the wishes) of the inhabitants of the islands. The General Assembly expressly rejected, twice in 1985, British proposals to incorporate the principle of self-determination in the draft resolution on the Question of the Malvinas Islands. Moreover, the behavior of the United Kingdom has not been consistent with the principle of self-determination of peoples, which it alleges is applicable to the Question of the Malvinas Islands. Its false invocation of the aforementioned principle in this Question contrasts with its position in other cases of decolonisation, such as the matter of the Chagos Archipelago, case in which it expelled native inhabitants and has deprived them, to date, of their right of return. Nor did the British government seek the opinion of the inhabitants of Hong Kong when it returned that territory to its legitimate owner, the People’s Republic of China. This new British attempts to manipulate the Question of the Malvinas Islands through a vote by the population implanted by the United Kingdom in the Malvinas Islands has been firmly rejected by the Argentine Republic, as well as by UNASUR and MERCOSUR member countries, among other fora, since the attempt will not alter the essence of the Question of the Malvinas nor will it put an end to the sovereignty dispute, which must be solved in accordance with international law and the several UN resolutions on the issue.”