British Foreign Secretary: Our stance on the Falkland Islands is "firm"

London, Sept 4 (KUNA) -- British Foreign Secretary David Miliband reaffirmed on Friday that his country’s position on the Falkland Islands is firm and that they will remain a British Overseas Territory. This statement came in a post shared by Miliband on the social media platform X, in response to a recent address by Argentine President Javier Milei, who insisted that Argentina needs to reclaim the islands, asserting their allegiance to his country. Miliband stated that the right of the islanders to self-determination is of paramount importance and is grounded in international law. Milei had warned in his speech that Argentina would impose sanctions on companies involved in oil exploration operations in the waters off the territory. He emphasized that the islanders do not have the right to self-determination, stating, “The islands are ours and were taken from us.” It is recalled that Britain and Argentina fought a war over the Falkland Islands in 1982, which ended with Argentina’s failure to take control of them. In 2013, a referendum was held in the Falkland Islands, in which 99.8 percent of the population voted in favor of remaining a British Overseas Territory, while only three people voted against it. (End) ASH / AMS