MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Falklands' election motivates support resolution in US House of Representatives
The United States 115th Congress has tabled resolution 650 recognizing the results of the free and fair elections for the new Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands held on 9 November 2017. The resolution, 650, was submitted last week by Representatives Mario Diaz Balart, Derek Kilmer and George Holding, and referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Read full article
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Disclaimer & comment rulesAnd Argentina will still pretend that self-determination does not apply.
Dec 12th, 2017 - 09:49 am - Link - Report abuse 0Why?
Falklands – Self-Determination: https://www.academia.edu/11325329/Falklands_-_Self-Determination_single_page_
That'll annoy a few :-)
Dec 12th, 2017 - 10:39 am - Link - Report abuse +4Good stuff, pleased to see it.
Dec 12th, 2017 - 12:10 pm - Link - Report abuse +4What with Kretina up for corruption and treason, Timerman locked up and now this blow, things aint going Tinkles way...
Dec 12th, 2017 - 02:56 pm - Link - Report abuse +4Some are obviously clueless with regard to the significance of the term tabled.
Dec 12th, 2017 - 05:28 pm - Link - Report abuse -5It was introduced and referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs. I'd say there's only one clueless person here.
Dec 12th, 2017 - 06:54 pm - Link - Report abuse -2https://www.congress.gov/bill/115th-congress/house-resolution/650/all-actions?overview=closed#tabs
The US is officially neutral on the question of the Falklands though, so it seems unlikely that it will be passed.
Wonder how much all that Lobbying costs...?
Dec 12th, 2017 - 07:29 pm - Link - Report abuse -5Not as much as Argentina's lobbying, propaganda and lies
Dec 12th, 2017 - 07:51 pm - Link - Report abuse +3It's big business Lobbying in the States...if you have enough money they will put forward anything...
Dec 12th, 2017 - 07:55 pm - Link - Report abuse -2With zero chance of it being adopted...
Its still the stupid and nasty Argies wasting their money on indoctrinating their children and spreading lies
Dec 12th, 2017 - 09:39 pm - Link - Report abuse +3Falklands doesn't have much of a domestic constituency.
Dec 12th, 2017 - 11:24 pm - Link - Report abuse -2Full text of the Resolution =
Dec 13th, 2017 - 12:00 am - Link - Report abuse +2RESOLUTION
Recognizing the results of the free and fair elections for the new Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Falkland Islands held on November 9, 2017.
Whereas the United States supports the principles of democratic processes across the world;
Whereas the Falkland Islands referendum of March 2013 clearly set out the wishes of the Islanders, when 99.8 percent of those who voted chose to maintain their status as an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom;
Whereas the people of the Falkland Islands have the right to decide their own future as enshrined in the United Nations Charter and in Article One of the two United Nations Covenants on Human Rights, by which they freely determine their political status and pursue their economic, social, and cultural development free from intimidation and harassment;
Whereas it is the obligation of countries to respect the legally binding principle of self-determination;
Whereas the Falkland Islands’ election on November 9, 2017, is an expression of that principle of self-determination; and
Whereas the United Kingdom is a loyal ally that has stood by the United States for over a century: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) welcomes the free, fair, and democratic elections of the Falkland Islands;
(2) acknowledges that only the people of the Falkland Islands can determine the future of the Falkland Islands; and
(3) recognizes the United Kingdom’s sovereignty over the Falkland Islands for as long as the Islands desire to remain a self-governing Overseas Territory.
With that wording the chances of getting adopted are close to nil IMHO, but then the real questions are Why? and Why now?
Every time one of these special interest resolutions pops up there's usually a reason. $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
Dec 13th, 2017 - 12:39 am - Link - Report abuse -3The Falklands does have a domestic constituency you idiot
Dec 13th, 2017 - 12:43 am - Link - Report abuse +3OK, Einstein.
Dec 13th, 2017 - 12:48 am - Link - Report abuse -3320 odd million.
How many do you think even know where the Falklands is?
The fact that far too many American's do not know their arses from their elbows, just makes the Resolution all the more intriguing.
Dec 13th, 2017 - 01:36 am - Link - Report abuse +2Whether the USA is neutral on the issue of sovereignty is less than clear. That is a political position that they have maintained since the late 1940's although their actions in 1982 suggest otherwise.
This from 1945 - June 24th, in Washington, the State Department summarises US policy towards the Falklands; “(a) The United States accepts and works with the de facto situation; (b) It accepts tacitly but by unmistakable implication the de jure sovereignty of the United Kingdom over the Islands, although there has been a tendency even in intra-departmental statements to avoid clear cut, categorical recognition of British sovereignty; (c) It seeks to avoid exacerbating Argentine sensibilities by refraining so far as possible from public explicit commitment on the dispute.”
( The United States Position Respecting Argentine-British Claims to the Falkland Islands Research Project No.55 p.8 quoted in Perl 1983 )
The US envoy to Buenos Aires in 1832 supported British sovereignty and his Government did not contradict him
In the 1850's the USA also recognised the UK's sovereign right to make regulations for the Islands. And please, before some fool gives me a quote from the Kohen & Rodriguez comic book from 1854, let me just point out that, as usual, they only have half the story.
The USA's position is ambiguous at best. Which is the nature of politics, of course.
But ........................ what lies beneath?
:-)
Chronic Idiot. “How many do you think even know where the Falklands is?” That is barely a sentence CHRONIC IDIOT, are you asking if I know where the Falklands are or how many people live here. I live in the Falklands. I know how many people are here CHRONIC IDIOT. The size of population does not mean we don't have a constituency. Try harder CHRONIC IDIOT
Dec 13th, 2017 - 01:43 am - Link - Report abuse +3Obviously rode the short bus.
Dec 13th, 2017 - 04:44 pm - Link - Report abuse -4“Whether the USA is neutral on the issue of sovereignty is less than clear”
Dec 13th, 2017 - 07:18 pm - Link - Report abuse +2Historically they were absolutely clear on the matter.
“As late as 1886 the Secretary of State found it necessary to inform the Argentine Government that as “the resumption of actual occupation of the Falkland Islands by Great Britain in 1833 took place under a claim of title which had been previously asserted and maintained by that Government, it is not seen that the Monroe Doctrine, which has been invoked on the part of the Argentine Republic, has any application to the case. By the terms in which that principle of international conduct was announced, it was expressly excluded from retroactive operation.”
P.60 Sovereignty and the Falkland Islands Crisis D.W. Greig
1886 March 18th - Secretary Bayard to Argentina's Minister Quesada.
Dec 13th, 2017 - 10:57 pm - Link - Report abuse +4“This Government is not a party to the controversy between the Argentine Republic and Great Britain; and it is for this reason that it has delayed, with the tacit consent of the former, a final answer to its demands. For it is conceived that the question of the liability of the United States to the Argentine Republic for the acts of Captain Duncan, in 1831, is so closely related to the question of sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, that the decision of the former would inevitably be interpreted as an expression of opinion on the merits of the latter. Such an expression it is the desire of this Government to avoid, ... 410 All agree that the territorial sovereignty of the Argentine government was derived from the crown of Spain, and it follows that the government of Buenos Aires, after having attained its independence, could not in law claim sovereignty as successor to His Catholic Majesty over any territory whose titles Spain recognized to belong to a foreign power. But it is a matter of uncontested history that the claim of Great Britain, of the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, was categorically declared and sustained during the discussions with Spain in 1770 and 1771, ..411 As the resumption of actual occupation of the Falkland Islands by Great Britain in 1833 took place under a claim of title which had been previously asserted and maintained by that Government, it is not seen that the Monroe doctrine, which has been invoked on the part of the Argentine Republic, has any application to the case. By the terms in which that principle of international conduct was announced, it was expressly excluded from retroactive operation. ... it is believed that, even if it could be shown that the Argentine Republic possesses the rightful title to the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, there would not be wanting ample grounds upon which the conduct of Captain Duncan in 1831 could be defended.”
England will return the Malvinas within 25 years.
Dec 15th, 2017 - 03:09 am - Link - Report abuse -3Commenting for this story is now closed.
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