BRITAIN will “always defend” the Falkland Islands, the Defence Secretary said after Argentina’s newly-elected president vowed to “get them back”.
Grant Shapps said the Falklands are undeniably British in comments which seem to be in direct response to right-wing Javier Milei, who told voters the islands belong to his country.
Mr Shapps wrote on social media: “The Falkland Islands are British. That is non-negotiable and undeniable.
“99.8% of islanders voted to remain British and we will always defend their right to self-determination and the UK’s sovereignty with @HMS_Forth now back to protect the islands.”
Mr Milei is a former TV pundit who has risen from obscurity and will be sworn in as President on December 10.
He said about the Falklands: “What do I propose? Argentina’s sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands is non-negotiable. The Malvinas are Argentine.
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“Now we have to see how we are going to get them back. It is clear that the war option is not a solution.
“We had a war – that we lost – and now we have to make every effort to recover the islands through diplomatic channels.”
The islands were the subject of a bloody conflict in 1982 after Argentine forces invaded and briefly occupied the territory.
British ministers regularly cite the results of a 2013 referendum that saw close to 100% of voters on the islands, which has a population of about 3,500 people, opt to remain a UK Overseas Territory.
Mr Milei proposed a solution similar to the one the UK had with China over Hong Kong.
Mr Shapps’ comments come as the Royal Navy announced a patrol ship will return to the Falklands after a 105-day break defending Gibraltar.
However, it is understood constant offshore patrol vessels presence is always maintained and the handover had already been planned
