Monday, February 25, 2013

Britain to raise US position on the Malvinas Islands during John Kerry visit to Britain (Updated)

Britain is apparently pushing the United States to recognize the referendum that Britain plans to conduct March 10-11 among the current population of the Malvinas Islands, which Britain calls the Falklands. (Gran Bretaña busca que EEUU reconozca el referéndum en Malvinas Página 12 24.02.2013; William Hague and John Kerry to clarify US stance on Falklands Independent 02/22/2013) Argentina has never recognized the sovereignty of Britain over the Malvinas, and the UN categorizes it as one the few remaining colonial possessions in the world.

The referendum is a colonial device Britain uses that is essentially a trick. International law does not determine national sovereignty based on a local vote. Texas or Mississippi might decide one of these days to declare their independence and even get a majority of their citizens to support it in a referendum. But such a vote would have no validity in international law.

Britain has colonized the island with Brits and restricts to a small number the Argentines would are allowed to become citizens. Meanwhile, Britain continues to reject the official UN demand that it negotiate with Argentina over the status of the islands. The official US position is to recognize Britain's de facto control but to remain neutral on the sovereignty question.

Britain's illegitimate colonial presence in the Malvinas has become more intense in recent years because of oil discoveries in the territorial waters.

Britain did some diplomatic kabuki over negotiations with Argentina earlier this year, agreeing to bilateral talks but then inviting the colonial government of the Malvinas to join the talks, which led Argentine Chancellor (Foreign Minister) Hector Timerman to decline the talk. Rob Williams reports in We won't talk to colonists: Diplomatic row erupts after Argentina pulls out of talks with Britain over future of Falkland Islands Independent 02/01/2013:

This latest diplomatic spat is likely to further raise the tensions between the UK and Argentina over the future of the islands.

In a strong statement Mr Timerman said he was sorry that Mr Hague "can't meet without the supervision of the colonists from the Malvinas".

The curt letter added: 'It's a shame that you reject a bilateral meeting. You need not keep trying to put together meetings during my visit to London. Leave that job to our own efficient embassy.' ...

Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has in recent years strongly asserted her country's demands for the Falklands to come under its sovereignty despite the opposition of the islanders.

Earlier this month, she had an advert published in British newspapers claiming that Argentina had been stripped of the islands in "a blatant exercise of 19th century colonialism".
Update: John Kerry, in his first trip abroad as Secretary of State, has declined to endorse Britain's Malvinas referendum. (EEUU no respaldó el referéndum kelper Página 12 25.02.2013)

Argentina plans another formal protest at the UN over Britain's militarization of the Malvinas, and is pressing for the south Atlantic to be a nuclear-free zone, which would prohibit Britain from having nuclear submarines patrol in the Malvinas area. (Argentina volvió a denunciar la militarización de Malvinas ante la ONU Página 12 25.02.2013)

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