Roger Spink, chairman of the Falkland Islands legislative assembly, has dismissed Argentina’s renewed hopes of reclaiming the territory as “grasping at straws”.
Speaking on GB News, Spink said: “We have received very strong support from ministers and we look forward to receiving further messages of support.”
He emphasised that the Foreign Office had released a “strong statement about the sovereignty and the right to self-determination of the people from the Falklands”.
Addressing the Argentinian Foreign Minister’s comments about taking “concrete action” to ensure the Falklands are returned to Buenos Aires, Spink stated: “I think it’s rhetoric. We constantly have comments from Argentina about how they will try and recover the islands.”
The renewed focus on the Falklands comes in the wake of the UK’s recent agreement to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius. This deal has sparked concerns about the future of other British overseas territories.
Argentina’s Foreign Minister, Diana Mondino, welcomed the Chagos decision as a step towards ending “outdated practices”. She vowed to take “concrete action” to regain “full sovereignty” over the Falklands, which Argentina calls the Malvinas.
Spink says the Falklands will not be handed over to Argentina
REUTERS / PA / GB NEWS
Mondino stated: “Following the path we have already taken, with concrete actions and not empty rhetoric, we will recover full sovereignty over our Malvinas Islands. The Malvinas were, are and will always be Argentine.”
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The UK government has moved swiftly to reassure Falkland Islanders of its unwavering commitment to the territory. Falklands governor Alison Blake issued a statement emphasising that the historical contexts of the Chagos Archipelago and the Falkland Islands are “very different”.
The Falkland Islands were occupied by Britain in January 1833Getty
She stressed: “UK Ministers have been very clear throughout the process that the UK will not agree to anything that runs the risk of jeopardising sovereignty in other overseas territories.”
The Foreign Office has also released a strong statement reaffirming the Falkland Islanders’ right to self-determination and the UK’s commitment to defending its sovereignty over the islands.
Roger Spink joined Stephen Dixon and Ellie Costello on GB News
GB NEWS
Spink highlighted the contrast between Argentina’s rhetoric and the UK’s firm stance on the Falklands. He said: “Any sort of light they see, they will leap on. But I think it has been made very clear by the British Government that the support for islanders’ rights is ironclad.”
This echoes the sentiment expressed by Energy Security Secretary Ed Miliband, who told LBC that the UK remaining in control of the Falkland Islands is “non-negotiable”.
Despite Argentina’s renewed claims, the UK government maintains its commitment to the Falklands’ sovereignty and self-determination, reinforcing the distinction between the Chagos Islands situation and the long-standing Falklands dispute.
