MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Active online poll from “The Telegraph” shows Falklands should be under Argentine sovereignty

Foreign Office aware of Filmus, but the Falkland Islands people voted to remain British by 99.8% in last March’s referendum

According to an active online poll released in the British newspaper “The Daily Telegraph”, a clear majority, almost double, of the voters affirmed that the Falklands Islands should be under Argentina’s sovereignty. Almost half the majority of respondents rejected the idea and supported Britain, while the rest answered that the territory should be under “shared sovereignty.”

 The poll was part of an article which informed the appointment of former Victory Front lawmaker Daniel Filmus as the first Secretary for Matters Relating to the Malvinas and other South Atlantic Islands and adjacent maritime spaces.

The article by Barney Henderson, under the heading of “Argentina appoints Malvinas Secretary to push Falkland Islands issue” said former Senator Filmus was the latest bid to pressure Britain over the Falkland Islands

“Daniel Filmus took office on Monday at a ceremony in Buenos Aires and immediately stated that it was ”unacceptable“ that the Malvinas was occupied by a ”colonial power“.

The 58-year-old, whose mother was an English teacher of Polish descent according to local reports, has been tasked with overseeing Argentina's diplomatic campaign against Britain over the disputed territory.

The article included a live poll: Should the Falkland Islands be British or Argentine? And the options, British; Argentine or shared sovereignty.

According to a statement from the Argentine embassy in London, Mr Filmus's brief will include: ”Bilateral actions, negotiations, strategies and co-ordination of actions with all countries to defend the Argentine rights and interests at the multilateral levels, as well as the promotion of Argentine rights worldwide.“

Hector Timerman, the Argentine foreign minister, said the appointment was ”historic“. ”Never before in Argentina's history has this matter, a question of territorial integrity, occupied such an important place in a government and we are very pleased that the president has elected none other than Daniel Filmus as secretary“, he said.

Taking up the position, Mr Filmus said: ”It is unacceptable that in the 21st century Argentina is unable to take decisions over its entire territory and that a part of this territory is being occupied by a colonial power.“

The Foreign Office said: “We are aware of the appointment of Daniel Filmus, but this does not affect our position nor the position of the Falkland Islands people, who voted to remain British by 99.8% in last year’s referendum.

”The UK has no doubt about its sovereignty over the Falkland Islands and surrounding maritime areas, nor about the Falkland Islanders’ right to decide their own future, the right of self-determination as enshrined in the UN Charter and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”

Mike Summers, a member of the Falklands assembly, said: “We have noted the developments of a new Secretariat in the Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

”Whilst it may be anticipated that this will result in an increase in activity on the part of the Argentine government, in trying to persuade others of their right to colonize the Falkland Islands, it will not result in any strengthening of their weak claim to our Islands, and is unlikely to address the fundamental human rights issues underlying Falkland Islanders rights to self determination”, reported The Telegraph.