On the180th anniversary of losing them, Argentina again claims the Falkland Islands

Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner delivers a speech during a ceremony at the Casa Rosada on December 27, 2012, in Buenos Aires. / Getty Images

LONDON Argentina's president called on Britain on Thursday to relinquish control of the Falkland Islands, accusing London of taking part in an act of "blatant colonialism" in claiming the wind-swept archipelago.

Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner published an open letter in the Guardian newspaper urging Prime Minister David Cameron to honor U.N. resolutions which she says backs her case for the return of the islands, which Argentina calls the Malvinas. She has made several similar demands in the past.

"180 years ago on the same date, January 3rd, in a blatant exercise of 19th-century colonialism, Argentina was forcibly stripped of the Malvinas Islands, which are situated 14,000 kilometers (8,700 miles) away from London," she says in the letter, copied to U.N Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

Britain asserted control of the south Atlantic islands by placing a naval garrison there in 1833. Britain and Argentina fought a brief war in 1982 after Argentina invaded the islands. More than 900 people died, most of them Argentines.

Cameron rebuffed the Argentine president's demand that the islands be handed over. "The future of the Falkland Islands should be determined by the Falkland Islanders themselves, the people who live there," the British prime minister said.

He said Kirchner should pay heed to the result of a referendum to be held on the islands this year, noting that whenever the islanders "have been asked their opinion, they say they want to maintain their current status with the United Kingdom."

The government of the Falklands Islands attacked Kirchner's letter as "historically inaccurate," saying that its relationship with the U.K. is "by choice" and based on shared ideals of "democracy, freedom and self-reliance."

The islands have a right, enshrined in the U.N. charter, to determine their own future and have exercised that to retain links with the U.K, the government said in a statement.

"It is this fundamental right that is being ignored by the Argentine Government, who are denying our right to exist as a people, and denying our right to live in our home," the statement said.

[cam5e]

I'm sure the British would love to have another go at the Argentines.

[Traveller1977]

the UK and Argentine signed a treaty in 1850 to resolve all differences between the two countries and the falklands remained UK territory (UK wrote off several large argentine debts with London Banks) - So Is argentina going back on a signed treaty?

Also the first landing on the island was by an Englishman, and the UK claimed the islands in the 1760's. The colony Argentine bases its claims on was actually established by an independent with British permission.

[joesapper]

Are not the people of the Island going to the polls in March to vote on the topic of who they desire the Island to belong to other then the people living there , so what country willget the vote ?

I think we know the answer . Perhaps this Lady should Lead the people she govs to a better place of growth and wealth rather than digging up old bones of destruction .

[Trenchant_Commentator]

This is nothing more than rhetoric meant for domestic consumption. Unlike 1982, Royal Navy subs now carry late model Tomahawk cruise missiles, which means a few nuclear powered subs can threaten any facility in Argentina, including any government building in Buenos Aires, such as the lovely Ms. Kircheners home, her presidential offices and the parliament, along with their military headquarters and major military bases. They could make Buenos Aires look like Baghdad during Operation Desert Storm and the Argentines all know this. There will be nothing more than hot air from this vacuous old bag. They don't have the military might to do more.

[creessanchezzz]

England should give back the Falkland Islands but with this condition: That all Argentinians have a DNA test done and all those with European DNA return to Europe and return the country to the natives which for the most part have been exterminated.

[caljack430]

You should probably do some SERIOUS research. There were NO natives. The islands were unoccupied until Britain 'colonized' it back in the 1800's. There are 9 generations of settlers there who want nothing more than to be left in peace by an over-bearing Argentine government. They are self-governed and would have no need for a defense network if not for Argentina.

[Fossil1753]

Question above "Can one really blame Argentina over this?" Correct me if I am wrong but has Argentina always been a Spanish speaking country? Did they not once belong to an indiginous native tribe(s), and were not these Indians releived of their country by "Colonialism" of Spanish Conquistadores? How far back do you want to go before you say enough? Should all of Europe be given back to Italy Because once it was ruled by Rome? What about Carthage? And the Phoenicians ? Where do you want to stop? Once upon a time countries were ruled by force of arms you won them or lost them by how strong you were. That has now changed but you can't go back and rewite history and boundaries! Poland did not exist in some stages of recent history, should we give that land back to Russia/Germany/Austro Hungary? There are literally thousands of instances where this has occurred, both before and after the 180 years that Britain has ruled the Falklands. Suck it up princess it aint gonna change

[FormerUSMCSergeant]

England is about a likely to give up the Falklans as Israel is about giving up its illegal nukes.

[quincytodd]

Can one really blame Argentina over this? No! After all, Las Malvinas do belong to Argentina, but the British illegally seized them in 1833 in direct violation of the 1823 Monroe Doctrine.

[kcisobderf]

Since the Monroe Doctrine was a US initiative, it would be appropriate to ask the US if this "violation" is actionable.

[pmlw500]

Argentina can't have their cake and eat it. If they so protest over British '19th century colonial values' then surely with their superior 21st century approach they will respect and consider the islander's right to self-determination to remain British, rather than simply ignoring them or their interests.

I also found this on the Falkland Islands Government website: "There is no truth to Argentine claims that a civilian population was expelled by Britain in 1833. The people who were returned to Argentina were an illegal Argentine military garrison, who had arrived three months earlier. The civilian population in the Islands, who had sought permission from Britain to live there, were invited to stay. All but two of them, with their partners, did so."

Remember that The Falkland Islands were unoccupied prior to their settlement by the British. Argentina claims the Falkland Islands form part of the province of Tierra del Fuego - an area that was not claimed as a part of the Republic of Argentina until after two generations of Falkland Islanders had been born and raised on the Islands.