Washington: Falkland Islands lawmakers have said they will not back down in the face of Argentina’s efforts to claim the South Atlantic territory.
Residents of the islands, which Argentina calls the Malvinas, voted earlier this month to remain under British rule.
According to CNN, lawmakers from the islands wrote a letter to the United Nations saying that the referendum result made it clear that they have no desire to be governed by Argentina.
They added that continued harassment of their economic development and intimidation of those who want to do business with them and invest in the islands will not change this fact.
But Argentina’s top officials and supporters in many Latin American countries have a different take. They argue that the referendum was invalid and have decried the United Kingdom for pushing a colonialist approach onto the territory, the report said.
Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman and other Latin American leaders are scheduled to meet on Tuesday with UN Secretary-General Ban ki-moon and other UN officials over the matter.
The meetings have drawn the ire of the Falkland Islands government.
The islands, which raise their own taxes but rely on the United Kingdom for defense and foreign policy, are one of 14 British Overseas Territories and have been under British rule since 1833, the report added.
ANI
