MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK reply to Argentina: no yield on Falklands' right to choose their future

On Sunday Malcorra called for Falklands' return, arguing Argentine commitment to peaceful settlement of differences, international law and multilateralism.

Argentina's January 3rd. statement on the Falkland Islands dispute claiming sovereignty and calling for dialogue with the United Kingdom has received a low key but strong response from the Foreign Office, according to the Mail on line.

 “The UK has no doubt about its sovereignty over the Falkland Islands. We would like a more productive bilateral relationship with Argentina but not at the expense of the Islanders' right to choose their own future”, said a Foreign Office spokesperson quoted by the Mail.

On Sunday the Argentine foreign ministry under Susana Malcorra an experienced former UN official, called for the return of the Falklands, arguing that 'Argentina renews its firm commitment to peacefully settling its differences, to international law and multilateralism.'

The statement then 'invites the United Kingdom to resume as soon as possible negotiations aimed at settling fairly and definitively, the sovereignty dispute over the Malvinas (Falkands) Islands, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands and surrounding territorial seas'.

The statement came on January 3, the anniversary of when Argentina claims Britain 'invaded' and 'usurped' the Falklands in 1833.

In earlier statements during December after taking office Malcorra adopted a more rational attitude towards the overall dispute arguing that, 'Yes we have an area of dissent which are the Malvinas Islands and we must find a way to address and solve the issue, but this does not mean we have to cancel all dialogue with the United Kingdom. We have areas of common interest where to advance.'

Relations with the UK plunged to a near 30 year low under the former Argentine President, Cristina Fernandez.