“Malvinas” or “Falkland” Islands? London is protesting an EU press release using the Argentinean name for the archipelago.

This is a complex diplomatic issue. Initially? The publication today of a joint declaration immediately after the meeting between the European Union and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States. The essence of the problem? This document refers to the British Falkland Islands, also known as the “Malvinas Islands”, after the term used by Argentina, which claims them: “Malvinas Islands”. The British government reacted accordingly.

“99.8% of Falklanders voted (in the 2013 referendum, ed.) to become part of the British family. Argentina and the EU should listen to their democratic choice,” British Foreign Secretary James Cleverley tweeted today.

“On the issue of sovereignty over the Falklands/Malvinas Islands, the European Union has taken note of the historic position of CELAC based on the importance of dialogue and respect for international law in the peaceful settlement of disputes,” the press release says in French. Explanation: Two terms are used in the English publication: “Malvinas/Falkland Islands”. But in the Spanish version, only the term “Malvinas Islands” is used.

Choice of “unfortunate” words

“Let’s be clear, the Falkland Islands belong to Britain. It is a choice made by the inhabitants of the island” during the 2013 referendum, British Prime Minister’s spokesman Rishi Sunak already explained on Wednesday, referring to the EU’s “deplorable choice of words”.

On the contrary, Argentine President Alberto Fernandez today called the EU-Celac summit communique on Twitter a “historic diplomatic victory” and the topic was widely covered in the national media. “The Malvinas Islands are a national affair, we have taken one more step,” he said.

This South Atlantic territory, located 400 km from the coast of Argentina and almost 13,000 km from London, has been the subject of a sovereignty dispute between the two countries for decades.

Conflict for over 40 years

In 1982, over 900 people were killed on both sides in a 74-day war. For Argentina, these islands, inherited from the Spanish crown, after the country gained independence, were occupied by British troops in 1833. The governor and the Argentine settlers were then expelled to the mainland.

The United Kingdom claims that almost 100% of the archipelago’s 2,000 inhabitants approved of remaining under British control in a referendum in 2013. A 1965 UN resolution sparks a sovereignty dispute and invites the two countries to negotiate.