MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Britain Nixes Argentina's Falklands Claim

Britain reiterated its sovereignty over the Falkland Islands and rejected Argentina's claims in a letter to Secretary-General Kofi Annan circulated Wednesday.

The letter from Britain's U.N. Ambassador Sir Emyr Jones Parry was a response to a Jan. 9 letter to Annan from Argentina's charge d'affaires protesting "the illegitimate occupation" of the islands.

Argentine troops invaded the islands ? which they call the Malvinas ? on April 2, 1982, claiming Argentina had inherited the archipelago from the Spanish crown before they were occupied by Britain in 1833.

Britain reclaimed the islands in a 74-day war.

Argentina still maintains its claim to the archipelago, populated by about 2,000 people of mostly British ancestry, but has pledged never to invade again.

The Argentine government said in its letter that 173 years after Britain's "illegitimate occupation," Argentina remained committed to the islands' recovery.

Argentina cited U.N. resolutions and declarations of the Organization of American States urging both countries "to resume bilateral negotiations with a view to finding a solution to the dispute over sovereignty."

Argentina reaffirmed its readiness to resume negotiations "with immediate effect" and called on Britain to do the same.

Jones Parry's letter made no mention of any negotiations, saying the British government "has no doubts about the sovereignty of the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and their surrounding maritime areas." (UN)