London (AP) — Britain reasserts sovereignty falkland islands War between the two countries erupted in 1982 after Argentina withdrew its cooperation agreement and demanded new negotiations over territories in the South Atlantic.
The announcement comes after Argentine Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero said on Twitter that he had informed British Foreign Minister James Cleverly about the country’s decision when they met on the edge of the G20 summit in India last week. .
“The Falkland Islands are the UK,” Cleverley tweeted late Friday. “Islanders have the right to decide their own future. They have chosen to remain a self-governing British Overseas Territory.”
Earlier, Cafiero said he had told Cleverly that Argentina had decided to withdraw from a 2016 agreement that promised to cooperate on various issues. However, both countries continued to claim sovereignty over Argentina’s Falkland Islands, known as the Malvinas Islands.
Cafiero also said he had proposed a new consultation, in line with a 1965 United Nations General Assembly resolution, that encouraged Britain and Argentina to find peaceful solutions to their dispute over the islands.
Argentina has long claimed sovereignty over islands about 300 miles (480 kilometers) from South America, home to about 3,500 people.
Argentina claims the islands were illegally seized in 1833. Britain, claiming its territorial claims date back to her 1765, sent warships to the islands in 1833 to expel Argentine troops who were trying to establish sovereignty over the territory.
Argentina invaded the islands in 1982, sparking a two-month war that claimed the lives of 255 British soldiers, three islanders and 649 Argentine personnel. The Argentine army was eventually ousted and Britain reclaimed its control.
Residents in 2013 voted in favor of remaining a British Overseas Territory.
The UK’s Minister for the Americas, David Ratry, expressed disappointment at Argentina’s decision.
During a recent visit to Buenos Aires, Mr Ratry tweeted: “Argentina has chosen to withdraw from the agreement that brought comfort to the families of those who died in the 1982 civil war.” We have benefited from the agreement.”