A Falklands War veteran has hit out at Argentina’s president claiming the islands’ future could be discussed in talks with the UK.
Javier Milei has suggested a Hong Kong-style agreement which would see the UK hand sovereignty of the islands in the South Atlantic to Buenos Aires.
It came after a meeting with Foreign Secretary David Cameron, who was more focused on “building co-operation on trade and combating global threats”.
Speaking on GB News, Simon Weston said the claims are “baseless”, adding the country “never owned” the islands.
Javier Milei has been blasted for 'baseless' claims
GB NEWS / GETTY
“It’s just something to distract people”, he said.
“There’s a lot of people in Argentina that believe it. ‘The islands are theirs’, it’s an easy go-to so they can keep ramping up support.
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“We can’t give something back that never belonged to anybody, but it is very alarming that people and politicians find the weakest link.
“They go to something like this, which is an easy win for the people that vote for them.”
Blasting the Argentine leader, Weston questioned whether the “mental state” of Milei is intact.
“If the reports are true, the president of Argentina consults a spiritual guide who then talks to his dead dog to get advice on how to run a country.
The Falklands issue has resurfaced following talks between Argentina and David Cameron
PA“If that’s the case, it’s quite alarming that you’ve got somebody who’s unstable like that then claiming that they’re going to take the islands or want the islands.
“They haven’t got a military to do it. They’ve underfunded that for the last 40 years.”
He said Milei is simply providing a “distraction from the real, blazing issues”.
“For my fellow veterans, most of them will be dismayed that this is coming up yet again and it’s being carried on with the same boring rhetoric from South America.
“I wish they’d just leave it alone. Everyone is content there, leave it alone.
“There’s enough war going on in the world and enough difficulties in the world, we don’t need any other lunatic adding to it.”
The Falklands, known as Islas Malvinas in 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.
UK ministers have repeatedly cited the results of a 2013 referendum which saw close to 100% of voters on the islands, which have a population of about 3,500, opt to remain a British Overseas Territory.
The Falklands are about 8,000 miles from Britain and 300 miles from mainland Argentina.