The Falkland Islands‘ governor has insisted that the UK government remains committed to the sovereignty and independence of the British Overseas Territory.
Alison Blake’s comments come following Downing Street’s decision to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
The move was welcomed by Argentina’s Foreign Minister Diana Mondino, who took advantage of the occasion to call on Britain to give up the Falklands – on which her country has historically laid sovereignty claims.
The Labour government has agreed to give up ownership of the tropical archipelago to Mauritius following decades of difficult negotiations.
This is the latest territorial concession made by the UK, following the decision to return Hong Kong to China in 1997.
Attempting to reassure Falkland islanders they would not be next in line, the governor said the UK’s commitment to the British Overseas Territory “remains undiminished” and is “unwavering”.
“I would like to reassure you that the legal and historical contexts of the Chagos Archipelago and the Falkland Islands are very different,” she said in a message.
“UK ministers have been very clear throughout the process that the UK will not agree to anything that runs the risk of jeopardising sovereignty in other Overseas Territories.
“The UK government remains committed to defending the Falkland Islanders’ right of self-determination, and the UK’s unwavering commitment to defend UK sovereignty remains undiminished.”
However, Argentina immediately used the occasion to reiterate its determination to annex the islands.
Ms Mondino welcomed Labour’s decision on the Chagos Islands, saying it was a further step in ending “outdated practices”.
Speaking about the Falklands with the name used to address them in Argentina, she wrote on X: “Following the path we have already taken, with concrete actions and not empty rhetoric, we will recover full sovereignty over our Malvinas Islands.
“The Malvinas were, are and will always be Argentine.”
The decision to return the Chagos Islands has been heavily criticised by some within the Conservative Party.
A source close to the leadership candidate Tom Tugenhadt told the Express: “Labour’s decision to push forward the deal negotiated by James Cleverly to give up the Chagos Islands has raised questions about the government’s commitment to the Falkland Islands.
“The Falkland Islands are British. No debate. Full stop. Tom won’t trade away sovereignty.”