Opinion | Editorials
Calming tense South Atlantic
Falklands anniversary should not trigger claims now after years of normalisation
- Gulf News
- Published: 00:00 February 6, 2012
Tension has risen in the South Atlantic as the 30th anniversary of the 1982 war between Britain and Argentina over the Falkland Islands is due this year. Ahead of the anniversary, the British have dispatched a nuclear submarine to the Falkland Islands, which has coincided with the supposedly routine posting of Prince William (second in line to the British throne) for a six-week tour of duty with his helicopter squadron.
These moves have infuriated the Argentinian government, which has never accepted British sovereignty over the Falklands. Even after the former military government fell, the new civilian government included a statement in the new 1994 constitution that the Malvinas (as Argentina calls the islands) are part of Argentina.
There is little hope of achieving a final resolution to this dispute, but it is important that provocation is kept to a minimum, particularly during the period from April (when the Argentinian forces first invaded the islands in 1982), to June (when they finally surrendered). It would serve no purpose for the British to provoke the Argentinians, particularly as Argentina appeared to be coming to a reluctant acceptance of the situation, leading to possible normalisation of relations.
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