Argentine ambassador in London, Alicia Castro complained about being summoned to the Foreign Office over the Falklands/Malvinas Islands dispute revealing she asked the British official if it was “an expression of British humor or a political paradox”, since the UK has failed to comply with international law for the last five decades.
An international symposium looking at the historical backdrop underpinning the concepts of self-determination, devolution, and independence on self-determination will take place next Thursday and Friday in Gibraltar. The aim of this conference is to look at these concepts and to explore them across a number of different examples.
Several leaders from British Overseas Territories, BOT, including Falkland Islands, are meeting in Cayman Islands to discuss the agenda of the Joint Ministerial Council to be held in December in London.
Argentina will be making its case claiming sovereignty over the Falklands/Malvinas Islands before the UN Special Decolonization Committee, C24, on Thursday morning. Two petitioners will support his presentation: a descendent from Luis Vernet and Falklands born Alejandro/Alexander Betts.
Sailors from HMS Clyde joined other protectors of the Falkland Islands as the British Overseas Territory marked the 32nd anniversary of its liberation. The ship’s company took part in a memorial service and parade, and hosted veterans of the 1982 conflict on Liberation Day in the Islands’ capital, Stanley.
Asked at a press conference on Wednesday why the Argentine Government had appeared to be against his appointment to the Falkland Islands, while also attempting to vilify him as someone who had previously opposed the right to self-determination of the inhabitants of another small island community, the newly-arrived governor, Mr Colin Roberts CVO, said that he was mystified by the logic and “would welcome illumination”.
The Plymouth based frigate, HMS Portland currently deployed on South Atlantic tasking reached this week South Africa's Cape Town where she was involved in promoting Britain and in charity activities. Previously she made a short stop in the Angolan capital, Luanda to highlight UK’s relationship with Angola and provide training to Angolan Navy personnel.
The leader of thousands of displaced Chagos islanders fighting Britain for a return to their Indian Ocean archipelago (Diego García) has said they will wage a joint diplomatic battle alongside Argentina as it seeks sovereignty over the Falklands, according to a report from The Telegraph credited to Hannah Strange.
At the Annual General Meeting of UKOTA (United Kingdom Overseas Territories Association) held on Wednesday, Gibraltar was elected Chair of UKOTA. Albert Poggio the Gibraltar Government’s United Kingdom Representative, will represent Gibraltar in this role.
Successful trade missions to Uruguay and Chile and the growing support and know-how links with Scotland for the development of the Falkland Islands oil and gas industry were mentioned as some of the 2013 highlights by Roger Spink, president of the Falklands Chamber of Commerce in his Christmas speech.