Falkland Islands. Photograph by Liam Quinn
The people of the Falkland Islands have voted overwhelmingly in favour of remaining a UK overseas territory, with a turnout of more than 90%. There were just three votes against out of a total 1,517 votes cast in the two-day referendum which asked “Do you wish the Falkland Islands to retain their current political status as an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom?”
The UK government has welcomed the result and urged all countries to respect the islanders’ wishes of self-determination. Prime Minister David Cameron said:
“The Falkland islanders couldn’t have spoken more clearly. They want to remain British and that view should be respected by everybody, including by Argentina.”
Foreign Secretary William Hague also made a statement on the result saying:
I welcome today’s result, which demonstrates more clearly than ever the Falkland Islanders’ wish to remain an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom.
We have always been clear that we believe in the rights of the Falklands people to determine their own futures and to decide on the path they wish to take. It is only right that, in the twenty-first century, these rights are respected.
All countries should accept the results of this referendum and support the Falkland Islanders as they continue to develop their home and their economy. I wish them every success in doing so.
Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner maintains that the Falkland Islands, which Argentians call Las Malvinas, are part of Argentinian territory, and discussions of their sovereignty should be between the British government and the Argentinian government. They agree that the islanders are British, but argue that they are ninth generation settlers on Argentinian land not an indigenous population. The recovery of Las Malvinas is enshrined in the Argentinian constitution. The British islanders have continuously inhabited and administered the islands since 1833, but the Argentinians maintain that they inherited the islands from the Spanish crown in 1767.
