Milei wants Falklands issue to be resolved peacefully

In an interview on Monday, Argentine President Javier Milei acknowledged that the Falkland Islands are currently under the control of the U.K. He stated that he would pursue the islands' recovery through diplomatic channels but that a resolution would not be immediate.

Recognizing that reclaiming sovereignty over the Falkland Islands from the U.K. could take decades, President Milei underscored Argentina's aversion to conflict, especially with the U.K. On the 42nd anniversary of the Falklands War in April of last year, a right-wing politician had previously criticized those who boasted about reclaiming sovereignty over the islands but failed to produce results.

In February, Lord Cameron, the U.K.'s foreign secretary, visited the islands and reaffirmed their undisputed sovereignty.

President Milei declared, “If that territory is now in the hands of the UK, he has a right to do that. I don’t see that as a provocation.” This appears to be a significant statement, considering the refusal of many Argentinians and former leaders to recognize the islands as British territory.

During Lord Cameron's government in 2013, the islanders held a referendum to maintain their status as a British Overseas Territory.

President Milei expressed his desire for Argentina to govern the islands peacefully. The president stated, “We are not going to relinquish our sovereignty, nor are we going to seek conflict with the United Kingdom.”

Milei's admiration for Thatcher

President Milei praised Margaret Thatcher, the British prime minister during the Falklands War, and kept memorabilia of her in his office at the presidential palace. When asked whether he continued to admire her, he responded, “Criticizing someone because of their nationality or race is very intellectually precarious. I have heard lots of speeches by Margaret Thatcher. She was brilliant. So what's the problem?”

During the conflict, Lady Thatcher issued the order to sink the Argentine cruiser General Belgrano, which tragically took the lives of 323 of its personnel.

Background

In 1982, a dispute arose between the United Kingdom and Argentina over the Malvinas, a British Overseas Territory in Argentina. A total of 649 Argentinians, three islanders, and 255 British soldiers perished in the conflict. After six weeks of combat, Argentina acquiesced to the situation and ceased its occupation of the territories. After the war, the Argentine regime, led by Leopoldo Galtieri, was overthrown.


Source: Newsroom