This week, the head of British diplomacy David Cameron is traveling to the Falkland Islands for the first leg of a trip to South America and New York. This visit comes a few weeks after the inauguration of Argentine President Javier Milei, who announced his intention to “recover” the Falklands in a “diplomatic” manner. But London doesn’t see it that way.
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With our correspondent in London,Sidonie Gaucher
You only need to look at a world map to understand the extent of Argentine resentment against the United Kingdom over the archipelago off the coast of Tierra del Fuego, which they have fought over since the 18th century. Some call it Falklands while others call it Malvinas.
In 1982, the Argentines lost the Falklands War, leaving a gaping patriotic wound, which Argentine President Javier Milei intended to exploit in order to “ claim » this territory. But for the head of British diplomacy David Cameron, it is out of the question to discuss the sovereignty of these islands, which he considers to be a “ important part of the British family “.
He argued that 99.8% of Falkland’s 3,000 residents approved its continued British control in a referendum in 2013. That said, the population of the Falklands comes from British immigration. The head of diplomacy therefore planned to “ reaffirm the UK’s commitment to upholding people’s right to self-determination”. There is little chance that this geostrategic territory will change hands.
During his visit, David Cameron will pay tribute to the 255 British soldiers who lost their lives during the 1982 war. This conflict also caused the deaths of 649 Argentine soldiers and three Falklands residents. For Argentina, these arid islands inherited from the Spanish crown after the country’s independence were occupied by British troops in 1833, with the Argentine governor and settlers then expelled to the continent.