Argentina suggests UK may lose EU support on Malvinas after Brexit
Argentina has implied that Britain’s exit from the European Union (EU) may boost the South American country’s drive to regain its control over the disputed Malvinas Islands, known in the UK as the Falklands.
Britain and the EU are to hold talks to set conditions for Brexit, and analysts believe the divorce talks would likely cost London Brussels’ support over its control of the islands disputed with Argentina.
Speaking to reporters in Brussels, the EU’s de facto capital, on Thursday, Argentinean Foreign Minister Susana Malcorra seemed to be pointing to that potential when she said in unspecific comments that change could happen with Brexit and that Argentina was carefully watching the divorce process as it played out.
“The European Union, through its agreements, is connected very closely and strongly to the United Kingdom,” Malcorra said. “It could be that things change there... Brexit is just starting and there are many issues. We are following it carefully.”
Located about 300 miles off Argentina’s coast and home to about 3,000 inhabitants, the disputed islands have been declared part of the British Overseas Territories since Britain established its colonial rule on the territories in 1833.
Argentina and Britain fought a 74-day war over the islands in 1982, which ended with the British side reasserting its rule over the islands.
Buenos Aires says Britain forcibly stripped Argentina of sovereignty over the islands and has been occupying the territory.
British control in the other UK dominions has also come under question. Spain recently repeated its claim of sovereignty over Gibraltar, a strategic British-ruled territory located at the entrance of the Mediterranean Sea on the southern tip of Spain’s Iberian Peninsula.
Gibraltar was ceded to Britain in 1713 as part of the Treaty of Utrecht. However, Spain has made it clear that it wants the enclave back.
Gibraltarians have preferred to be with Britain rather than Spain; however, after Britain’s exit from the European Union, Madrid believes residents may choose to rejoin Spain to remain connected to the EU.
Elsewhere, in British-ruled Northern Ireland, people have opposed Brexit.
In Scotland, too, there has been a movement to end the 310-year-old union with England as well so that an independent Scotland can remain in or later rejoin the EU.
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