The Falklands Islands will always be defended by Britain, David Cameron has said. This comes just a matter of months after Argentina vowed to take back control of the UK overseas territory.
The Foreign Secretary arrived in the Falklands yesterday, in what is the first visit by a foreign secretary since 1994 and the first by a Cabinet minister since 2016.
Dismissing suggestions from Argentina's president Javier Milei that he would take back the terriroty, Cameron said: "Let me be absolutely clear: as far as we are concerned, as long as the Falkland Islands want to be part of the UK family they are absolutely welcome to be part of that family and we will support them and back them and help protect and defend them absolutely, as far as I’m concerned, for as long as they want.
“And I hope that’s for a very, very long time, possibly forever."
The Falklands Islands will always be defended by Britain, David Cameron has said
PA
He added: "Now of course we want to have good relations with Buenos Aires, with the Argentine government.
"The new government, I think, have taken some positive steps and we’ll have good relations with them, but it will never be at the expense of the wishes of the Falkland Islanders, who in our view absolutely come first in this manner."
During his presidential campaign, Javier Milei, claimed that Britain returning the Falkland Islands to Argentina was "non-negotiable", adding that the territory is Argentine.
He called for an agreement similar to the one the UK had with China in Hong Kong, which saw the territory handed over Chinese control after 1997.
Milei, who was elected in November, said: "What do I propose? Argentina's sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands is non-negotiable.
"The Malvinas are Argentine. Now we have to see how we are going to get them back. It is clear that the war option is not a solution.
"What we are proposing is to move towards a solution like the one England had with China over the Hong Kong issue and that in this context the position of the people who live on the islands cannot be ignored.
"You cannot deny that those people are there. You cannot disregard those human beings. You have to negotiate with Britain and consider the views of the people who live on the islands.
"We are looking for a solution for the Malvinas Islands to return to Argentina through diplomacy, a solution that is viable, that is achievable."
In his victory speech, Milei promised that the "reconstruction of Argentina begins today".
But hitting back at the time, Rishi Sunak's spokesperson ruled out any movement on the issue.
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They said: "It's obviously a settled issue, a long-settled issue, and we have no plans to revisit it."
Pressed on the suggestion of an agreement similar to that reached over Hong Kong, the official added: "The position of the Falkland islands was settled some time ago and will not be changed."
A 2013 referendum in the Falklands saw 99.8 per cent of people vote to remain part of the UK.