Falklands Islands issues scathing 3-sentence putdown after Trump threat | World | News
The Falkland Islands retaliated against the United States after a memo was reported suggesting that Britain’s sovereignty over the archipelago could be reviewed. The document is believed to suggest that Europe’s “imperial possessions” could be examined, including British overseas territories in the South Atlantic.
A Falkland Islands Government spokesman said: “Self-determination is a fundamental human right enshrined in the second paragraph of article one of the United Nations Charter. In 2013 the Falkland Islands held an internationally observed sovereignty referendum in which 99.8% of voters voted in favor of remaining an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom, with a turnout of 92 per cent.”
He added: “The Falkland Islands has full confidence in the UK Government’s commitment to supporting and defending our right to self-determination.”
Sir Keir Starmer’s spokesman said earlier today: “We could not be clearer about the UK’s position on the Falkland Islands.
“It’s been going on for a long time, it hasn’t changed. Sovereignty belongs to the United Kingdom and self-determination is paramount.”
They added: “The Falkland Islands had previously voted overwhelmingly to remain an overseas territory. We have always stood behind the right to self-determination.”
He also said Britain had “clearly expressed this position to US administrations before”.
Asked if he was sure that Britain could defend the Falkland Islands, he replied: “That’s not the situation we’re in. It’s an assumption.”
“We have expressed our position before, and we will continue to express this position,” the spokesman added.
“Sovereignty belongs to us. Self-determination is paramount.”
Friends of British Overseas Territories spokesman Robert Midgley said: “On the 44th anniversary of the Falklands War, it is unthinkable that our closest ally would even consider making changes to the islanders’ right to self-determination.
“The Falkland Islands have been a British presence longer than Argentina has been, and the democratic choice of the islanders must be respected.”
Patrick Watts MBE, 81, was manager of the radio station in Stanley when the Argentines invaded in 1982. He continued broadcasting stoically after the soldiers entered his studio.
He told The Express the King needed to “come out”.
Mr Watts told Mr Trump: “Please leave the Falkland Islands alone. We are a peaceful community, a financially autonomous community that wants to remain British and we have no desire to fall under another regime or under the control of another country. Leave us out of that equation.”
