British Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticized the Argentine national team after its players displayed a banner asserting Argentina’s claim to the Falkland Islands.
This occurred following Argentina’s victory over England in the World Cup semi-final. During the match between the long-standing rivals, scuffles broke out repeatedly on the field, and after the final whistle, Argentine players unveiled a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” (“The Malvinas Islands belong to Argentina”).
In response, a spokesman for Keir Starmer stated: “The World Cup may not be ours, but the Falkland Islands are undoubtedly ours.” He added that the UK’s position remains unchanged and that support for the residents of the Falkland Islands is unwavering. According to him, Starmer also backs the call from Minister for Science, Innovation and Technology Peter Kyle for an investigation by FIFA.
The spokesman noted that the prime minister wishes both teams success in the final, “especially Spain.”
Diplomatic tension beyond the football field
The tension between the countries extends beyond football. Just hours after the semi-final, Argentina lodged an official complaint against the UK over an alleged incursion into its sovereign waters. Foreign Minister Pablo Kirno stated that the HMS Medway made an “unsanctioned” transit through Argentine territorial waters earlier this month.
HMS Medway arrived in January this year as a permanently deployed Royal Navy vessel in the South Atlantic. Its duties include patrolling the archipelago, ensuring the safety of the population, monitoring compliance with fishing regulations, collaborating with the Royal Air Force and Army, and conducting maritime security operations.
The Falkland Islands have been under British control since 1833. In 2013, 99.8% of the archipelago’s residents voted to maintain the status of a British Overseas Territory. The first settlements on the islands were established by the French in 1764, and three years later they were transferred to Spain. The United Kingdom established its own settlement in 1766, approximately 50 years before Argentina gained independence. The British government emphasizes that Argentina has never had legal sovereignty over the islands.
Argentina’s official note of protest
At the direction of Foreign Minister Pablo Kirno, an official note of protest was delivered to the Embassy of the United Kingdom on July 13. The document expresses strong disapproval of the movements of HMS Medway, which Argentina deems “illegal by nature” and which occurred in the vicinity of the Malvinas Islands without proper notification in accordance with existing bilateral agreements, as well as involving transit through Argentine territorial waters.
Argentina considers these actions a violation of the obligations outlined in the Joint Declaration of September 25, 1991, which replaced certain provisions of the Madrid Declaration of February 15, 1990 regarding confidence-building measures in the military sphere, along with a subsequent declaration signed in Buenos Aires and London on July 12, 1993.
The Argentine government asserts that British military activity in areas Buenos Aires claims as its own contradicts UN General Assembly resolutions and bilateral agreements. From Argentina’s perspective, such actions exacerbate tensions in the South Atlantic and complicate efforts to find a peaceful resolution to the sovereignty dispute.
The statement also emphasizes that Argentina continues to regard the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands, and adjacent maritime areas as part of its territory.
The document concludes with the assertion: “History, law, and conviction testify: The Malvinas Islands are Argentine.”
Source: Joe
