Foreign secretary Lord Cameron becomes first foreign secretary in 30 years to visit Falkland Islands

Lord David Cameron has became the first Foreign Secretary to visit the Falkland Islands in 30 years amid Argentinian calls for negotiations on their future.

Lord Cameron toured Falklands War battle sites as part of a high-profile demonstration that the islands are “part of the British family”.

The foreign secretary arrived at Mount Pleasant airbase and will visit some of the key battle sites of the 1982 Falklands War to pay his respects to those who lost their lives in the conflict.

He visited San Carlos, nicknamed “bomb alley” due to the sustained aerial attacks faced by British warships as they protected the landing site used by troops to mount a ground offensive during the 1982 war.

The former prime minister chatted to local residents before laying a wreath at the memorial to those who lost their lives.

Lord Cameron inspected the graves in the cemetery, including that of Lt Col H Jones, commander of 2 Para who won a posthumous Victoria Cross during the war, before laying a wreath at the monument to those who died.

Lt Col Jones was killed at the Battle of Goose Green and Lord Cameron also visited the settlement there as part of his tour.

He visited the museum and spoke to local residents at the community hall.

During the war, islanders were detained in the building until the Argentine forces surrendered.

The battle came at a heavy cost, with 18 British soldiers killed including Lt Col H Jones.

Writing in the community hall visitors’ book, Lord Cameron said: “Thank you for keeping their memory alive.”

Argentinian president Javier Milei, who met Lord Cameron last month, has called for the South Atlantic islands to be handed over to Buenos Aires.

After their meeting at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Foreign Office said the pair had a “warm and cordial meeting” and on the issue of the Falklands “they would agree to disagree, and do so politely”.

Ahead of his trip to the South Atlantic, Lord Cameron said: “The Falkland Islands are a valued part of the British family, and we are clear that as long as they want to remain part of the family, the issue of sovereignty will not be up for discussion.”

Argentina has long claimed sovereignty over the Falklands and Mr Milei has previously suggested the UK should approach the issue in a similar way to the handover of Hong Kong to China in 1997.

The Falklands, known as Islas Malvinas in Argentina, around 8,000 miles from Britain and 300 miles from mainland Argentina, were the subject of a bloody conflict in 1982.

The war claimed the lives of 255 British servicemen, three islanders and 649 Argentinian personnel.

In a 2013 referendum, the islanders voted overwhelmingly to retain their status as a UK overseas territory.

On his visit, Lord Cameron will meet leaders of the Falkland Islands government during a visit to the capital Stanley and other sites around the overseas territory.

He will also visit environmental projects and see some of the penguins that depend on the vital island habitats.

On Tuesday he will head to Paraguay, the first time a British foreign secretary has travelled to the South American nation.

The foreign secretary is then due to attend a meeting of G20 counterparts – including Russia’s Sergei Lavrov – in Brazil on Wednesday.

Russia’s actions in Ukraine will also be the subject of a United Nations session in New York later in the week which Lord Cameron will attend.

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