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Argentina Falklands claim

Hector Timerman, Argentina's foreign minister, has said "there are no Falkland Islanders, only British inhabitants of the Malvinas," during a visit to the UK

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Argentina claims on Falklands are 'desperate'

Jan Cheek, member of the Falkland Islands legislative assembly, said the Argentine authorities were "deeply worried" about a referendum on the islands, and dismissed comments by foreign minister Hector Timerman as "desperate":

Talk of the Falklands being Argentine in 20 years makes for good headlines - but smacks of desperation.

Mr Timerman dismisses us as 'settlers'. Well, we are settlers. Like countries across the continent of the Americas, we came into existence through waves of settlement from Europe and elsewhere.

Indeed, we Falkland islanders settled in our home long before many parts of Argentina were settled by the Argentines.

We are a thriving community, with a growing international voice. We want good neighbourly relations with Argentina, we are willing to talk with them and we cannot be ignored.

– Jan Cheek

Falkland Islanders 'are Argentine citizens'

Argentina's foreign minister Hector Timerman said the South American country considers inhabitants of the Falkland Islands as its own citizens.

"There are very few inhabitants of the Islas Malvinas who were born in the Islas Malvinas. But for us, they are Argentinian citizens," he said.

"Argentina is looking for a dialogue to pacifically resolve a dispute over sovereignty," added Timerman.

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Hague meets Falklands politicians in London

Foreign Secretary William Hague today met Jan Cheek and Dick Sawle of the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London.

He said:

The Falkland Islands is a self-governing British Overseas Territory and a thriving democracy with a growing economy.

Through nine generations the people of the Falklands have worked tirelessly to establish their position in the world and their voice deserves to be heard.

With this in mind, I welcome their forthcoming referendum in March.

This will be a chance for the people of the Falkland Islands to express their views about how they wish to be governed, and in a democratic and incontestable way without other people speaking for them.

They have the British Government’s full support.

It is of course a shame that the Argentine Foreign Minister, Hector Timerman, was unwilling to join us for a conversation about the Falkland Islands.

As I have said before there is no way such a conversation could have taken place without members of the Falkland Islands Government being present, especially given the current Argentine government’s behaviour towards the Islanders.

It is, and must always be, for them to decide their own future.

Argentina 'to make an offer' to UK over the Falklands

Argentina's foreign minister Hector Timerman is expected to offer the UK a diplomatic package to hand over the Falklands Islands at a news conference in London today.

Yesterday, Mr Timerman told MPs that Argentina would not recognise a referendum of the islanders planned for next month on whether they want to remain part of the UK.

Hector Timerman is in London to argue the case for Argentinian sovereignty of the Falklands Credit: Reuters

In an interview with the Guardian, he also predicted the Islands will be under the South American country's control within two decades.

Stanley, Falkland Islands Credit: Emma Hallett/PA Wire/Press Association Images

Falkland MPs: It is not tenable for you to ignore us

Members of the Falklands Islands parliament have written to the Argentine foreign minister Hector Timerman urging him to discuss their differences.

Legislative Assembly member Dick Sawle told Mr Timerman, who is on his first trip to London, that he believes next month's referendum will show that islanders do not want to be ruled by Argentina.

Please understand that no amount of harassment and intimidation by your Government against our island community will change this fact.

Indeed, the more you press us, the harder will be our resolve. It is not tenable for you to ignore us.

– Dick Sawle, member of the Legislative Assembly of the Falklands Islands

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Argentina 'will not recognise Falklands referendum'

Argentina's foreign minister Hector Timerman clashed with MPs when he appeared before the all-party group on Argentina.

Mr Timerman told the MPs that Argentina would not recognise a referendum of the islanders planned for next month on whether they want to remain part of the UK. He said:

The self-determination referendum doesn't apply to the Malvinas. It is not a colonised people, it is a colonised territory.

It is not a matter for negotiation. Not one single country in the world recognises the sovereignty of the United Kingdom in the Malvinas.

We have to respect the interests of the people living in the area but not the wishes.

Argentina: Falklands will be ours within 20 years

Hector Timerman is in London to argue the case for Argentinian sovereignty of the Falklands Credit: Reuters

Argentina's foreign minister has predicted that the Falkland Islands will be under the South American country's control within two decades in an interview with the Guardian.

Hector Timerman told the newspaper: "I don't think it will take another 20 years. I think that the world is going through a process of understanding more and more that this is a colonial issue."

The minister ruled out a military solution to the sovereignty dispute, and said the interests of the existing islanders would be protected under Argentinian rule

"There is not one single country in the world which supports the right of the United Kingdom to govern over the Malvinas," he added.

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