The European Union (EU) has faced criticism from UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak over its use of the term ‘Islas Malvinas’ to refer to the Falkland Islands in an official document. The EU statement was issued following a summit in Brussels with CELAC, a collective of 33 Latin American and Caribbean nations, including Argentina. The UK government has responded by asserting that the Falkland Islands are British and that this status was chosen by the islanders themselves in a 2013 referendum, where 99.8% voted in favor of remaining a British territory.
The Falkland Islands government has expressed disappointment with the term used in the EU statement and has called on the EU to refer to the islands by their “proper name.” UK diplomats have also called on the EU to clarify its stance on the sovereignty of the South Atlantic islands. The EU’s position, as outlined in the 2009 Lisbon Treaty, is that the Falklands are a British overseas territory. Despite this, Argentina has hailed the use of ‘Islas Malvinas’ as a “diplomatic triumph.”
In response to the criticism, the EU’s combined foreign and defense ministry, the European External Action Service (EEAS), has stated that its position on the Falklands has not changed. However, Argentina’s Foreign Minister, Santiago Cafiero, has expressed a desire to engage in further dialogue about the islands’ sovereignty in light of the EU’s statement.
The Falkland Islands, located approximately 1,500km off the Argentine mainland, have been the subject of a territorial dispute between Argentina and the UK for many years. Argentina claims that it has a legitimate territorial claim to the islands, citing its authority over them since gaining independence from Spain in 1816. On the other hand, the UK argues that it has continuously inhabited and administered the Falklands since 1833. The disagreement over the sovereignty of the islands led to a 74-day war in 1982, resulting in the deaths of 655 Argentine troops and 255 British forces. The UK regained control of the islands following Argentina’s surrender on June 14, 1982.
The use of ‘Islas Malvinas’ by the EU in its statement has reignited tensions between Argentina and the UK over the Falkland Islands. While the EU maintains that its position on the Falklands has not changed, Argentina sees the use of the term as a diplomatic victory and an opportunity to further discussions on the islands’ sovereignty. The UK, meanwhile, asserts that the Falklands are unequivocally British, a position backed by the overwhelming majority of the islanders themselves. As the dispute continues, it remains to be seen how this latest development will impact future negotiations and relations between Argentina, the UK, and the EU.
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