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Ministers welcome Falkland Islands Government referendum announcement

Foreign Secretary William Hague and Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne today welcomed the announcement by the Falklands Islands government of a referendum on the islands' political future.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

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.”

Speaking, today, from Stanley, Falklands Islands, Jeremy Browne said:

“It is a privilege and a pleasure to be here with the Falkland Islands people, as they commemorate the thirtieth anniversary of their liberation. The sacrifices made by the British armed forces in the 1982 conflict were significant. We will never forget them. But the British Government believed then, as we do today, that the protection of the Falkland Islanders’ political liberty - of their right to determine their own future - is a principle worth defending.

“Only the Falkland Islands people can determine how they wish to be governed. So I very much support this initiative by the Falkland Islands Government. Indeed, I believe this referendum is a truly significant moment. It will give the Falkland Islands people the opportunity to send a clear message - not just to Argentina, but to the whole of the international community - that the Islanders, and they alone, are masters of their fate.

“In the next few months the Falklands will give their definitive verdict on their political status. The British Government will respect their decision, in line with the principles of the United Nations Charter. And I call on all governments who prize democracy and human rights to do likewise.

“Whilst it is for the Islanders to choose, let me be clear: the British government greatly values the links between the UK and the Falkland Islands. We believe these should continue and deepen, long into the future. And if this proves to be the will of the Falkland Islands people, then we in the UK will not just respect it, but will continue actively to defend this act of self-determination from those who seek to challenge it.”

Earlier today, the Falkland Islands Government announced its attention to hold a referendum.

In a statement, Chairman of the Legislative Assembly, Gavin Short, said:

“I have no doubt that the people of the Falklands wish for the Islands to remain a self-governing Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom. We certainly have no desire to be ruled by the Government in Buenos Aires, a fact that is immediately obvious to anyone who has visited the Islands and heard our views.

“But we are aware that not everyone is able to come to these beautiful Islands and to see this reality for themselves. And the Argentine Government deploys misleading rhetoric that wrongly implies that we have no strong views or even that we are being held hostage by the UK military. This is simply absurd.

“We have thought carefully about how to convey a strong message to the outside world that expresses the views of the Falklands people in a clear, democratic and incontestable way. So we have decided, with the full support of the British Government, to hold a referendum on the Falkland Islands to eliminate any possible doubt about our wishes. This referendum will be organised by the Falkland Islands Government and will take place in the first half of 2013. We will invite independent, international observers to observe the process and verify its outcome. Exact timings, the specific wording of the question, and other details will be announced in the coming weeks.

“We are holding this referendum not because we have any doubts about who we are and what future we want, but to show the world just how very certain we are about that.”

Published 12 June 2012