The actions of the Buenos Aires regime ‘is not the behaviour we expect of a democracy’, say British diplomats at UN
The UK’s dispute with Argentina over the Falkland Islands has escalated after the UK Government accused Buenos Aires of “wholly unacceptable” obstruction and harassment.
The diplomatic slapdown came after Argentina’s President Javier Milei declared his country’s claim to the South Atlantic archipelago was “a national cause”.
He argued the United Nations had chosen “to look the other way” so Argentina was “going to take matters into our own hands” through legal and economic action, which he described as “a peaceful, practical and effective defence”.
Mr Milei also dismissed the wishes of islanders, who previously voted overwhelmingly to remain as a British Overseas Territory, arguing the principle of self-determination did not apply “since the population was implanted by the occupying power on a territory whose sovereignty is in dispute”.
The Argentinian leader made the row over the Falklands, which Argentina calls the Malvinas, the centrepiece of his speech to the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday.
His comments come after Andy Burnham said the UK “will stand firm in the face of any threats” to the sovereignty of the Falklands.
The Prime Minister raised the issue with US President Donald Trump, a close ally of Mr Milei, during talks at the UN.
The Argentinian leader has been emboldened after Mr Trump recently suggested he could reconsider Washington’s neutral stance on the sovereignty of the islands.
The US president also questioned the UK’s ability to defend the territory due to its domestic problems with immigration and energy.
Although the US is formally neutral, Washington provided support for Britain’s campaign to retake the islands after the Argentinian invasion in 1982.
It sparked the Falklands War, which led to 255 British service deaths in just over 70 days. It also led to the deaths of 655 Argentinians and three Falkland Islanders.
Earlier this month, the Argentinian government imposed sanctions on people and firms involved in oil exploration around the Falklands and said it would file a criminal complaint against oil company Navitas Petroleum over its operations around the islands.
It has also introduced a sweeping security bill that would enable tougher action to be taken and expand the military’s role in protecting the country’s critical infrastructure.
Rounding on the UN in his speech, Mr Milei said: “An organisation established to defend the territorial sovereignty of its members, decided to look the other way with regard to the situation of the Malvinas Islands…”
He added: “For us, the Malvinas is a national cause.”
Mr Milei went on: “For far too long, Argentine governments opted for a rhetorical defence. We have chosen a peaceful, practical, and effective defence.”
On the position of Falkland residents, he said: “The principle of self-determination does not apply in this case, since the population was implanted by the occupying power on a territory whose sovereignty is in dispute.
“That principle exists to liberate colonised people, not to legitimise situations arising from colonisation.”
He added: “Once again, we call on the United Kingdom to resume negotiations with a view to finding a peaceful solution to the sovereignty dispute as required by international law.”
Mr Milei told the gathering of world leaders: “We will not remain indifferent to those who exploit resources under illegal foreign occupation.
“Argentina’s position is clear. Today, I have come to tell you that Argentina is not going to sit around waiting for the UN and the international community to live up to their own mandate.”
But responding to his speech, the British UN delegation said: “The United Kingdom has no doubt about its sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.”
It added: “The United Kingdom is steadfast in its support for the Falkland Islanders’ right of self-determination… The Falkland Islanders have as much right to determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development as any other peoples.”
It said efforts by Argentina to deny the fundamental human right of self-determination “is not the behaviour we expect of a democracy”.
Making clear that Argentine law “does not apply to the Falkland Islands”, the statement went on: “Ongoing efforts to obstruct and harass international companies involved in Falkland Islands hydrocarbons, and indeed other Falkland Island industries, are a wholly unacceptable attempt to exercise extra-territorial jurisdiction, and have no justification whatsoever in international law.
“Furthermore, they are obstructive to global business and inconsistent with free trade.”
