Falkland Islands to hold referendum

[Mathew]

http://news.sky.com/home/world-news/article/16245858

The Falkland Islands are to hold a referendum on their "political status" in a bid to end the continuing dispute with Argentina over their sovereignty.

The vote will be held in 2013, the Falklands government said.

The announcement comes amid increasing tensions between Britain and Argentina over the disputed territory, which the South American country calls Las Malvinas.

UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said: "The British Government has been consistent in its view that the future of the Falklands can only be determined by the people who live there.

"So the Prime Minister and I support this initiative to demonstrate - without doubt - the definitive view of the Falkland Islands people.

"In a region that rightly prizes democracy and human rights, it is entirely appropriate that the Islanders can express this fundamental right. The principle of self-determination is a key part of the United Nations charter.

"The voice of the Falkland Islands people should be heard. I hope very much that Argentina, and indeed the whole of the international community, joins the UK in listening carefully to what they have to say."

...and someone's comment in response to William Hague's announcement:

Shame he didnt think that of the 62 million people living in the uk who want to decide on there own future on membership of the EU gravy train !

[xxMATTGxx]

Doubt anything will change in terms of who owns them as I'm pretty sure nearly all of them still want to linked to the UK. Maybe they should do that with for the EU though like the comment says! :P

[dbgtz]

I don't see the point. Argentina will keep on moaning about having sovereignty of the island bla bla bla...

[GommeInc]

It will make it official to Argentinian Officials (Kirchner et al.) that the Falkland Islands are self-governing (because they're too thick to understand this). Argentina will still moan about it because they're like a child throwing their toys out of their pram, but it does mean, hopefully, the international community will understand the underlining principles of a referendum and that the Falklanders' do not want Argentina to Govern them. Why would they? False ideas of democracy, war mongering, hateful propaganda and falsifying news does not make you want to scream "Own me!" :P

The comments about the EU are a bit odd. It's the Falkland Islanders who drew up the plans for a referendum, the UK has little to do with it so the criticisms directed at Hague are a bit much, even though we should take a leaf out of the Falkland's book and have our own referendum on being owned by the EU (in more ways than one).

[andoo89]

seems like the only reason argentina is kicking up about fuss about this. the falklands might have oil underneath it