03/01/2013

Argentina Repeat Call For Return Of Falkland Islands

Argentina’s president has again called on the UK to return the Falkland Islands, a call strongly rebuffed by Downing St.

Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner had urged UK Prime Minister David Cameron to abide by a 1965 UN resolution to "negotiate a solution" to the dispute.

But a spokesman for Mr Cameron said the people of the Falklands had shown "a clear desire to remain British" and their interests would be protected.

A referendum on the islands' political status is to be held in March.

In an open letter to Mr Cameron, published as an advert in the Guardian newspaper and the Independent, President Fernandez repeats calls for the islands - which are known as the Malvinas in Argentina - to come under the sovereignty of her nation.

The Argentine president says the islands were forcibly stripped from Argentina in "a blatant exercise of 19th Century colonialism".

Downing Street said the prime minister would "do everything to protect the interests of the Falklands islanders."

(H/GK)


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