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| Seeking Commonwealth Support; Support for the Falklands Referendum | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Mar 10 2013, 02:56 AM (91 Views) | |
| PolishPrince | Mar 10 2013, 02:56 AM Post #1 |
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![]() William Hague Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom Ladies and Gentlemen of the Commonwealth, As many, or probably most of you, are aware; in March of next year there will be a referendum carried out on the Falkland Islands, which will determine whether or not the United Kingdom enters into Sovereignty negotiations with Argentina. Some nations, namely Russia and Argentina, challenge the legitimacy of this referendum - and claim that will be an illegal referendum which should have no bearing on the Sovereignty of the Islands. Her Majesties' Government disagrees. We feel that the referendum will accurately express the will of the Falkland Islanders, who have lived there for three plus generations. We feel that in the spirit of the UN, human rights and democracy, that this referendum is extremely important in determining the Sovereignty of the Islands. Without it, it would be a case of two powers engaged in archaic, colonial negotiations over an Islands Sovereignty. With the referendum, we are saying that the UK is not intransigent on the subject but we are, in fact, entirely dedicated to allowing the Falkland Islanders the democratic right to determine their own future. With that in mind, we have prepared a document which we would like fellow Commonwealth nations to consider signing. The document will support the principle of the referendum, and provide support for the democratic rights to self determination for the inhabitants of the Falkland Islands. I ask that you all give it your due and careful consideration and those who are willing, to sign it.
Edited by PolishPrince, Mar 10 2013, 02:57 AM.
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| Publius | Mar 11 2013, 12:50 PM Post #2 |
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![]() Minister of External Affairs "Archaic colonial negotiations?" Negotiations would have prevented us from having to go into Goa to retake our territory and have served the world much better than hapless unilateral actions. What is needed for a permanent settlement is a negotiation that grants the Argentine government the chance to save face, possibly with some sort of symbolic partial lease of water rights with limited compensation from the world community for descendants of the small community forced off the islands in the 19th century, rather than further inflamed unilateral action by the parties to this dispute. We do not support a unilateral resolution to this conflict by either party, despite our respect for the self determination rights of the residents, and would like to urge the members of this body not to sign this letter. It is not animus towards Britain or its position that drives this urging, India made a substantial investment in the future of the area as recently as 2012 and our country likes to think it has solid ties with both parties, but we cannot stand with those who would see either side give the finger to the future prospect of a negotiated settlement. |
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| PolishPrince | Mar 11 2013, 01:13 PM Post #3 |
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![]() William Hague Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom I say archaic because we cannot simply give away land without respecting the will of its inhabitants. Surely you can see the logic, Mr. Khurshid. Whatever happened so long ago, cannot be used as an excuse for us to treat the territory as we would an old piece of furniture. Secondly, we would highlight that any inhabitants who were possibly displaced so long ago would have been Spanish citizens, not Argentinians. Finally, we would highlight that many Britain's were displaced by the Spanish only a few years before we retook the Islands; should their descendants receive compensation? |
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6:10 AM Jul 11
