Interesting, but thorny.
First of all those who want the Islanders to get their wishes if 5,000 chinese immigrants arrived and settled and decided to become a french or portuguese colony would Britain accept that?

Regarding the original post why not. The major western powers have been using major international institutions for their own ends for years. Why shouldn’t the other guys use it too?

Well first off 5000 people suddenly turning up and deciding to be something other than Falkland Islanders might be regarded as…….erm…..whats the term? Oh yes, invaders. If on the other hand they turned up and adhered to the Falkland Islands constitution that might be a different matter.

As to the second point. I don’t know Garry, you’d argue black was white if it scored you a few points. 😀

Phil 🙂

The whole thing about the Falklands/Malvinas is VERY debateable, King Jester even this:

Its more like this: “you took that 50p coin out of my pocket, give it back!

…..is debateable. I really don’t want this to become a slanging match and please, as Jester says, no flag waving but I have done a bit of Googling and neither claim is very clear cut.

http://www.yendor.com/vanished/falklands-war.html

and in Spanish:

http://www.yendor.com/vanished/i-falklands-war.html

The following article boils down to one irreconcileable truth. Argentina has a LOT of bridge building to do in order to convince the islanders:

http://www.falkland-malvinas.com/Detalle.asp?NUM=5812

Here is another point of view:

http://www.naval-history.net/F13history.htm

This one tells us a little about Luis Vernet:

http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Falkland-Islands

………………more…………….

http://freespace.virgin.net/gordon.smith4/F13history.htm

In essence no claim is clear cut, Argentina’s appears to be no stronger than anybody elses but I can tell you this. If the islanders said tomorrow that they wanted to become an Argentine dependancy the British government would be celebrating in the streets. The truth though is that this is not going to happen any time soon.

What I want to know most of all is how is Argentina going to make good on their claim, bearing in mind that they have enshrined a peaceful resolution of the issue into law? What are their intentions for the islanders? How can they be made Argentine if they don’t want to be? What will happen to them if/when Argentina gets what she wants? Will they be shipped off the Old Blighty lock stock and barrel or will they be assimilated?

Their wishes must be upheld, they cannot/must not be overridden by political ambition and most of all there must not be another war.

Phil 🙂

FA sometimes you really scare me.

Phil

Thanks for that Jester I had wondered what had happened to Galtieri. The tragic thing about all of this is that if he had not forced the issue in ’82, the islanders might be more pre-desposed to the idea of Argentine rule (if not total duristiction) as of about now. Post 1982? No, I can’t ever see them agreeing to it and if they say no, that decision must be upheld.

Phil 🙂

wgat an idiot

politicians, why can’t we sink them???

We’d probably be indited if we did. 😉

Phil 🙂