The governor of the Falkland Islands has sought to calm considerations over the territory’s sovereignty, following the UK’s deal at hand over the Chagos Islands.
In a historic transfer, the UK has agreed to surrender possession of the tropical archipelago to Mauritius, after many years of usually fractious negotiations.
However in an try to assuage the fears of individuals on one other strategically-important group of islands, Falklands Governor Alison Blake mentioned the authorized and historic context of the 2 territories are “very completely different”.
The UK dedication to the South Atlantic territory’s sovereignty is “unwavering” and “stays undiminished”, she mentioned in a press release posted to social media.
In the message to residents, she mentioned: “I wish to reassure you that the authorized and historic contexts of the Chagos Archipelago and the Falkland Islands are very completely different.
“UK ministers have been very clear all through the method that the UK won’t conform to something that runs the danger of jeopardising sovereignty in different Abroad Territories.
“The UK authorities stays dedicated to defending the Falkland Islanders’ proper of self-determination, and the UK’s unwavering dedication to defend UK sovereignty stays undiminished.”
The Falkland Islands are a British abroad territory within the south-west Atlantic Ocean. Argentina has lengthy claimed sovereignty over the islands.
Argentina invaded in 1982 in a bid to reclaim sovereignty and mentioned it had inherited the Falkland Islands from Spain within the 1800s.
A short however bitter struggle lasting 74 days adopted – with 655 Argentinian, 255 British and three Falkland deaths – earlier than British forces regained management on 14 June 1982.
Gov Blake’s announcement got here after a deal which, after years of negotiations, noticed the UK hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
This consists of the tropical atoll of Diego Garcia, used by the US government as a highly-secretive military base for its warships and long-range bombers.
The treaty may also “deal with wrongs of the previous and display the dedication of each events to help the welfare of Chagossians”, in accordance with a joint assertion from UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth.
