Argentina’s new govt pushes claims to Falkland Islands on UK, seeks ‘peaceful and lasting solution’

Argentina’s new conservative government has reaffirmed its claim to the Falkland Islands, which the British insist are theirs. It has called on the UK to discuss a “peaceful and lasting solution” to the sovereignty dispute.

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On Sunday, Argentinian President Mauricio Macri’s center-right government released its first official statement concerning the islands, which Buenos Aires refers to as Las Malvinas.

“For decades, the international community has considered the question of Las Malvinas as one of colonialism which must be stopped and has urged Argentina and the United Kingdom to find a peaceful and lasting solution to the sovereignty dispute through bilateral negotiations,” Argentina’s foreign ministry said.

Argentina said it “renews its firm commitment to peacefully settling its differences... and invites the United Kingdom to resume as soon as possible talks aimed at settling fairly and definitively, the sovereignty over Las Malvinas, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding territorial seas.”

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Buenos Aires claims it inherited the Falkland Islands from the Spanish crown in 1816, while London justifies its position saying it has continuously administered the territory since 1833, as well as the islands’ population, which is almost entirely of British descent.

Macri’s government assumed power last month after winning elections in November.

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