Self-determination lies with the Falkland islanders, and sovereignty lies with the UK - opinion

The United Kingdom's position on the Falkland Islands remains firm: sovereignty rests with the UK, and self-determination lies with the islanders, according to Simon Walter. This stance directly counters the claim of Argentinian sovereignty recently articulated by Argentinian Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno.

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At the heart of Argentina’s illegitimate claim over the Falkland Islands is a historical falsehood.

Walter argues that Argentina's claim is rooted in a "historical falsehood," asserting that British sovereignty over the islands dates back to 1765, predating the formation of the Argentinian Republic. He points to the expulsion of an Argentinian military garrison by British forces on January 3, 1833, stating that no civilian Argentinian population was removed. Furthermore, the region Argentina now claims as part of the Tierra del Fuego province did not become part of Argentina until roughly half a century after 1833, rendering any claim of prior Argentinian sovereignty "patently false."

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No amount of intellectual gymnastics can alter this fundamental fact.

The principle of self-determination, enshrined in the UN Charter, is central to the UK's argument. Walter emphasizes that the Falkland Islands' population has lived peacefully on the islands for nearly 200 years, with many families residing there for ten generations. This long-standing presence, he contends, solidifies their right to choose their future.

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99.8% of those who voted chose to maintain their current status as an Overseas Territory of the UK.

This right was unequivocally expressed in the 2013 Falkland Islands referendum, where 99.8% of voters, on a 92% turnout, chose to remain an Overseas Territory of the UK. Walter dismisses any suggestion that the islanders' wishes could be otherwise, stating it is "simply not credible." The UK maintains that only the people of the Falkland Islands can decide their future, and any negotiations must involve their full agreement and active participation. The article also briefly references Argentina's "illegal and unprovoked military invasion" in 1982, a violation of the UN Charter.

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in flagrant violation of the UN Charter, Argentina launched an illegal and unprovoked military invasion in an attempt to seize the Falkland Islands by force.