The chancellor Diana Mondino renewed this Tuesday Argentina’s claim for the sovereignty of the Falkland IslandsSouth Georgia, South Sandwich and the surrounding maritime areas at the annual meeting of the UN Decolonization Committee. This time, in a warm twist Regarding the statements he made in the middle of the electoral campaign, he rejected the supposed right of self-determination of the islanders although he recalled that “Respect for their way of life is enshrined in our National Constitution”while pointing out the intention of the Government of Javier Milei to maintain “a mature relationship” with the United Kingdom.
“191 years have now passed since the beginning of the illegal occupation of the Islands by the United Kingdom”said Mondino at the beginning of his message to the UN committee, the C-24, which approved this Tuesday by consensus a resolution – presented by Bolivia, Chile, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Venezuela – that calls for the resumption of negotiations between Argentina and the United Kingdom to resolve the historic dispute, which began with the British invasion in 1833.
“The elapsed time has in no way diminished the validity of our claim, nor modified our conviction that This long-standing controversy must be resolved peacefullythrough bilateral negotiations between my country and the United Kingdom,” the chancellor continued, recalling that it is a claim shared “by all the Argentine people” and enshrined in the Constitution, which transcends party differences and “constitutes a state policy”.
The chancellor’s speech was awaited with many expectations, since it was the first intervention by an official of the far-right Government before the UN on the Malvinas issue, after the controversies generated during the electoral campaign, when Mondino said in an interview with the British newspaper The Telegraph that “the rights of the islanders will be respected”a statement that was repudiated from various sectors.
The Argentine president, Javier Mileialso had to face several criticisms for his position towards the Malvinas Islands, since on more than one occasion he has expressed his admiration for Margaret ThatcherBritish Prime Minister during the 1982 war.
“Respect for their way of life is enshrined in our Constitution”
In his message to the UN, Mondino referred to the situation of the inhabitants of the islands, who argue that they enjoy the right to self-determination. “Self-determination cannot serve as a pretext to attack the territorial integrity of the Argentine Republic”stated the chancellor, who recalled that this principle does not apply to the conflict over the islands.
None of the resolutions adopted by the General Assembly or the C-24, he reviewed, refers to the principle of self-determination. “The population of the islands –the official pointed out “It is the result of colonization by the United Kingdom,” that after occupying the territory, it implemented measures “to prevent the settlement of Argentines from the continental territory and favor the establishment of British subjects on the islands with the purpose of defining a demographic composition tailored to their interests.”
“This population has not been subjected, dominated or subjugated by a colonial power nor does it constitute a population ethnically and culturally distinct from the occupying power,” Mondino said. In that sense, he stressed that the 2013 referendum that the inhabitants of the islands put together to make clear their desire to remain linked to the United Kingdom, “lacks validity and did not alter the existing situation in any way.”
However, in a nod to the inhabitants of the Falklands, the chancellor said that Argentina is not indifferent “to the interests, well-being or prosperity of the islanders.”
Argentina “maintains a “constructive attitude towards the inhabitants of the Malvinas, taking into account their interests” and what is established in the Constitution and in resolution 2065, of 1965, which established a roadmap to negotiate the end of the conflict over sovereignty while respecting the interests of the inhabitants of the islands.
“Currently, the inhabitants of the islands are assured of the full enjoyment of human rights guaranteed by our National Constitution, as well as universal, public and free access to health and education systems at all levels, like every inhabitant of Argentine soil. ”, indicated Mondino. “Respect for their way of life is enshrined in our National Constitution,” he insisted.
“Mature relationship” with the United Kingdom
Unlike the last foreign ministers of the Government of Alberto Fernández, Felipe Solá and Santiago Cafiero, who had a more critical stance towards the United Kingdom, Mondino said that the Government aspires to have “a mature relationship” and a “constructive dialogue.”
The far-right speech, on the other hand, had similarities with that of Mauricio Macri’s chancellor, Jorge Faurie, who also offered gestures of rapprochement with the islanders and to London, and spoke of a “new atmosphere of trust” in the bilateral relationship with the United Kingdom.
According to Mondino, the lack of resolution of the conflict over the Malvinas affected the bilateral relationship, a “situation aggravated by various unilateral acts by the United Kingdom.” Despite this, he assured, The Milei Government seeks “a new phase in the relationship with the United Kingdom.”
And he added: “Argentina intends to develop its capabilities in the medium and long term, and generate a mature relationship with the United Kingdom, which includes constructive dialogue on all issues of common interest“.
“The Argentine government is convinced that through this dialogue a higher level of cooperation can be achieved, and hopes that this will generate andThe climate of trust necessary to resume negotiations that allow the sovereignty dispute to be resolved,” he concluded.
