MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK Minister of Defense, “Falklands are British, that is nonnegotiable and undeniable”

Minister Shapps, in his tweets rejected any negotiation on the future of the Falklands, and highlighted HMS Forth had been sent back to “protect the Islands”

“The Falkland Islands are British, that is nonnegotiable and undeniable” emphasized UK Defense Secretary Grant Shapps, adding that “99,8% of Islanders voted in 2013 to remain British and we will always defend their right to self-determination and UK's sovereignty”.

 Shapps intervention on Tuesday following on a similar Monday strong statements from PM Rishi Sunak and David Rutley, FCDO minister for the Americas adn Caribbean, appeared to be responding to comments made by libertarian Javier Milei, who won a resounding victory in Argentina’s presidential election runoff on Sunday. During his presidential campaign Milei argued that the Malvinas Islands sovereignty was “nonnegotiable,” responding to domestic criticism for having expressed admiration for ex British PM Margaret Thatcher and saying that Falkland Islanders 'wishes had to be respected'.

In April 1982, Argentine forces invaded and occupied the Falklands during 74 days, until June 14th, Liberation Day, when a British Task Force sent to recover the Islands by PM Margaret Thatcher completed the job, giving her and her government a huge boost. The war claimed the lives of 255 British servicemen, three Islanders and 649 Argentine personnel, and a year later the Argentine military dictatorship was over signaling the start of 41 years on uninterrupted democracy and civilian rule in Argentina.

However the fanatically Argentine nationalists have since hated the Iron Lady as the incarnation of evil, and continued to claim sovereignty over the Malvinas. British minister regularly cite the results of a 2013 referendum that saw close to 100% of voters on the Islands, which has a population of about 3,600 people, opt to remain a UK Overseas Territory.

Mr Milei reportedly said during a TV election debate: “What do I propose? Argentina’s sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands is non-negotiable. The Malvinas are Argentine.“

“Now we have to see how we are going to get them back. It is clear that the war option is not a solution. We had a war – that we lost – and now we have to make every effort to recover the Islands through diplomatic channels.”

In a newspaper interview with the Argentine daily La Nacion, he proposed that the UK hand over the Falklands to Argentina in a similar way to how Hong Kong was given back over to Chinese rule in 1997.

Milei who describes himself as an anarcho-capitalist lauded Margaret Thatcher for her economic and political policies, and pointed out that the views of those living on the islands “cannot be ignored”.

Mr Shapps, in his tweets rejecting any negotiation on the future of the Falklands, highlighted how Royal Navy ship HMS Forth had been sent back to “protect the Islands” in the southern hemisphere. It follows a nine-month stint by HMS Medway to patrol the remote location.

Prime Minister Sunak official spokesman said on Monday: “The UK has no doubt about the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, and indeed South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.” He added that “the UK Government will continue to proactively defend the Falkland Islanders’ right to self determination.”

The No 10 official said Falklands rule was an “issue that was settled decisively some time ago”.