MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Argentina reaffirms rights on “Malvinas Sovereignty Day”

“Malvinas claim” is extensive to South Georgia, South Sandwich and adjacent maritime spaces.

Argentina condemned on Wednesday the United Kingdom’s negative to resume sovereignty negotiations over the disputed Falklands/Malvinas Islands, South Atlantic islands (South Georgia and Sandwich) and adjacent maritime spaces. June 10th, according to the Argentine calendar is Malvinas Sovereignty Day

In an official release the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the UK’s position as “persistent and unjustified” adding that with this stance it “perpetuates the anachronism of a colonial situation incompatible with the changes of time”.

“Since the very beginning of its existence as an independent nation the Argentine Republic has executed through acts of government the effective exercise of its sovereignty over the austral territories and maritime spaces inherited from Spain”, added the release.

It emphasized that the Argentine claim over these territories and austral maritime spaces is supported by the countries of the region, regional organizations and international forums.

In the latest general assembly of the Organization of American States in Honduras, Foreign Affairs ministers reaffirmed their support to Argentina and its “legitimate rights” over the Malvinas Islands.

The “Day of Argentine sovereignty rights over Malvinas, South Atlantic islands and the Antarctic sector” recalls June 10, 1829 when the nascent Argentine government created the “Political and Military Command of the Malvinas islands and adjacent areas to Cape Horn on the Atlantic ocean”.

The release says that “since the British occupation in 1833”, Argentina has been demanding the devolution of these territories and tried to recover them by force in 1982 when the country was ruled by a fearsome military dictatorship.

The ongoing war following the landing of Argentine troops in the Falklands lasted 74 days. On June 14th, Argentines surrendered to the British Task Force leaving a toll of 649 Argentine and 258 British servicemen dead in combat.