Falklands War hero blasts EU as it calls islands 'Malvinas' in win for Argentina
Falklands War hero Simon Weston today blasted the EU for calling the islands “Islas Malvinas”.
A diplomatic row erupted after Brussels agreed a statement with Argentina that used the Spanish name for the South Atlantic archipelago. Buenos Aires claimed the move was a "diplomatic triumph" .
The wording came in a joint declaration between the EU and Celac, a bloc of 33 countries in Latin America. The text read: "Regarding the question of sovereignty over the Islas Malvinas/Falkland Islands, the European Union took note of Celac’s historical position based on the importance of dialogue and respect for international law in the peaceful solution of disputes."
Argentine Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero warned: "Off the back of this declaration the Argentine government hopes to further expand dialogue with the EU regarding the question of the Malvinas Islands.”
The RFA Sir Galahad on fire in Bluff Cove (Press Association)Britain and Argentina fought a 10-week war over the islands in spring 1982. Some 255 UK servicemen were killed retaking the archipelago.
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Former Welsh Guardsman Mr Weston, who was severely burned when the RFA Sir Galahad troop carrier was bombed by Argentine Skyhawk fighters during the Bluff Cove Air Attacks, told the Mirror: “It’s very disappointing for the islanders - they have every right to live their lives peacefully, quietly getting on with their own industry everyday. Argentina has been working on this for a long time, building a cabal of nations in South America.”
The EU was later forced to clarify its position, which it said had not changed. But Mr Weston accused Brussels of having “bought into” Buenos Aires’ quest to overturn British sovereignty of the islands. Argentinians “now have a greater impetus to push forward, to try to re-establish these false claims they have for the islands”, he warned.
He added: “Is this a kick in the shins to Britain because of Brexit? It’s happened, move on.”
The UK Government fiercely opposes the use of the name Las Malvinas. Asked about the language, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s spokesman said: “The Prime Minister’s view is that it would have been entirely unacceptable for the EU to question the Falkland Islanders’ right to decide their own future.
“Let’s be clear - the Falkland Islands are British; that was the choice of the islanders themselves. The EU has rightly now clarified that their position on the Falklands has not changed, after their regrettable choice of words.” He added: “We will continue to defend the Falkland Islanders’ right to self-determination in all international forums and have called on the EU to respect democratic rights for the Falkland Islands.”
The spokesman said the Government had made its “views very clear and we have spoken to the EU on this in Brussels”. Asked if ministers wanted “to see no repeat of this”, the spokesman replied: “Absolutely.”
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