Falkland Islands lie in Argentinian waters, UN commission rules

[TomandJerry]

Argentina’s government is celebrating a decision by a UN commission to expand its maritime territory in the South Atlantic Ocean by 35% to include the disputed Falkland islands and beyond.

The Argentine foreign ministry said its waters had increased by 1.7 million square km (0.66 million square miles) and the decision will be key in its dispute with Britain over the islands.*Argentina*lost a brief, bloody 1982 war with Britain after Argentinian troops seized the South Atlantic archipelago that Latin Americans call the Malvinas.

The UN commission on the limits of the continental shelf*sided with Argentina, ratifying*the country’s 2009 report*fixing the limit of its territory at 200 to 350 miles from its coast.

 

[Marxo]

Cuba is 90 miles from Key West, Fla. Key West is the southernmost publicly accessible point in Florida. Key West is closer to Cuba than to Miami.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Ah, good, so we can claim Northern France, Belgium and most of Holland as they are all within 200-350 miles of our coast.

Oh, Ireland becomes British too - that'll go down without any bloodshed too, I'm sure.

FFS .....

 

[Pinkie Brown]

This old chestnut usually rears its head when the incumbent president of Argentina is having a bad hair day. Handy distraction away from domestic issues. Much in the same way it was for Thatcher in 82.

Nothing to see here really.

 

[AmexRuislip]

Nothing to do with the rich oil and mineral reserves that surround the island
Who was on this so called Mickey mouse UN commission??

 

[Triggaaar]

This old chestnut usually rears its head when the incumbent president of Argentina is having a bad hair day.

Do they usually manage to get the UN on their side? I'd like to see who the independent UN panel were.

 

[Eeyore]

Nothing to do with the rich oil and mineral reserves that surround the island
Who was on this so called Mickey mouse UN commission??

Everything to do with that, and nothing to do with sovereignty.

I said a while ago that we should have started talking to the Argentines about joint territorial pacts over the waters and come to an agreement. But no, and now we could have to wave goodbye to the lot (although as the territory is disputed the ruling may not be binding).

 

[AmexRuislip]

Everything to do with that, and nothing to do with sovereignty.

I said a while ago that we should have started talking to the Argentines about joint territorial pacts over the waters and come to an agreement. But no, and now we can wave goodbye to the lot.

I totally agree with you, nothing to do with sovereignty, and as I intimated planets earths reserves

 

[JC Footy Genius]

Do they usually manage to get the UN on their side? I'd like to see who the independent UN panel were.

The OP copy paste was from the Guardian http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2016/mar/29/falkland-islands-argentina-waters-rules-un-commission

UN commision panel members http://www.un.org/depts/los/clcs_new/commission_members.htm#Members

 

[Triggaaar]

Surely, by basic definition, the Falklands lie in Falkland waters.

 

[Eeyore]

The question also rises concerning the islands sovereignty in the event of the break up of the United Kingdom. Most of the settlers there are of Scottish and Welsh ancestry....

Let's hope Southampton doesn't declare independence- then it gets messy !

 

[Boris Yeltsin]

Based on that rationale, Tenerife is in Moroccan waters.

 

[GT49er]

The question also rises concerning the islands sovereignty in the event of the break up of the United Kingdom. Most of the settlers there are of Scottish and Welsh ancestry....

Mostly Welsh, I believe. However, they themselves very clearly identify with being British, just British, not any sub-group.

Personally I think that after the Falklands War they should have gone for self-determination, and become an independent state and a full member of the UN - that way it wouldn't be just Britain, but the whole of the UN who would be charged with protecting their independence from any Argentinian threat. They could still have retained their links with Britain through membership of the Commonwealth.

 

[8ace]

I don't think Argentina own the waters but the sea-bed
In any case the 12 n.miles territorial waters overrides this.

 

[mona]

Is it the same UN who allowed the massacre of civilians in Srbrenica and whose troops have been responsible for multiple rapes in various conflicts?

 

[Eeyore]

Mostly Welsh, I believe. However, they themselves very clearly identify with being British, just British, not any sub-group.

Personally I think that after the Falklands War they should have gone for self-determination, and become an independent state and a full member of the UN - that way it wouldn't be just Britain, but the whole of the UN who would be charged with protecting their independence from any Argentinian threat. They could still have retained their links with Britain through membership of the Commonwealth.

There is an argument there. Much the same as Northern Ireland. Recent surveys suggest that only 29% regard themselves as British, the majority regard themselves as 'Falkland Islanders'. I'm sure they'd happily lose the British tag if the oil industry takes off and those damned Argies stayed away.

 

[Bold Seagull]

Based on that rationale, Tenerife is in Moroccan waters.

Morocco and Spain are in dispute over the territory line as it happens (over oil exploration you never would have guessed...). Spain believe it to be the median between the land of the Canary Islands and the coast of Morocco, but Morocco believe it to be the continental shelf which is much closer to the Islands.

 

[daveinprague]

Mostly Welsh, I believe. However, they themselves very clearly identify with being British, just British, not any sub-group.

Personally I think that after the Falklands War they should have gone for self-determination, and become an independent state and a full member of the UN - that way it wouldn't be just Britain, but the whole of the UN who would be charged with protecting their independence from any Argentinian threat. They could still have retained their links with Britain through membership of the Commonwealth.

Almost half the population are recent immigrants, since the Falklands war, and not necessarily from the UK.

As I remember it, the Falklands leadership came to Britain before the conflict to ask for British status, and Thatcher told them to do one.

 

[Triggaaar]

The question also rises concerning the islands sovereignty in the event of the break up of the United Kingdom. Most of the settlers there are of Scottish and Welsh ancestry....

Is that just a lead up to the Southampton joke, or are you being serious?

 

[Triggaaar]

Is it the same UN who allowed the massacre of civilians in Srbrenica and whose troops have been responsible for multiple rapes in various conflicts?

Yeah that's the one.