The official count showed 99.8 percent of islanders voted in favor of remaining a British Overseas Territory in the two-day referendum, which was rejected by Argentina as a meaningless publicity stunt. Only three "no" votes were cast.
"Surely this must be the strongest message we can get out to the world," said Roger Edwards, one of the Falklands assembly's eight elected members.
"(The message) that we are content, that we wish to retain the status quo ... with the right to determine our own future and not become a colony of Argentina."
Pro-British feeling is running high in the barren and blustery islands that lie off the tip of Patagonia, and turnout was 92 percent among the 1,649 Falklands-born and long-term residents registered to vote.
.jpost.com
12/3/13
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Malouines : l'Argentine dénonce une "parodie" de référendum....
ReplyDeleteLa présidente argentine, Cristina Kirchner, a qualifié mardi 12 mars de "parodie" le référendum sur le maintien des Malouines dans le giron du Royaume-Uni, adopté à la quasi-unanimité, et qui n'avait jusque là pas été commenté par Buenos Aires.
"Ce qui est important aujourd'hui c'est la position des Etats-Unis sur cette sorte de parodie de référendum", a déclaré Mme Kirchner. La porte-parole du département d'Etat a déclaré en effet que son pays "continuait de reconnaître qu'il existe un conflit de souveraineté entre l'Argentine et le Royaume Uni", a rappelé Mme Kirchner. Mardi, Washington a refusé de modifier sa position sur les Malouines malgré le oui au référendum, reconnaissant la gestion britannique de ce territoire mais sans prendre parti sur la souveraineté.
Les résidents de cet archipel de l'Atlantique ont clairement exprimé leur préférence pour la poursuite de leur relation avec le Royaume-Uni, avec la victoire à 99,8 % du oui au référendum organisé dimanche et lundi par les autorités des Malouines, avec la bénédiction de Londres, pour savoir si les Malouines devaient rester un territoire britannique d'outre-mer.
http://www.lemonde.fr/ameriques/article/2013/03/13/malouines-l-argentine-denonce-une-parodie-de-referendum_1846970_3222.html#xtor=RSS-3208
13/3/13
No position change on Falkland Islands following referendum, says U.S.....
ReplyDeleteWASHINGTON, March 12 (Xinhua) -- The Obama administration on Tuesday said that its position regarding the Falkland Islands, known as the Malvinas to the Argentines, remains unchanged, but acknowledged that the Falklands residents have clearly expressed their preference in a recent referendum.
"The residents have clearly expressed their preference for a continued relationship with the United Kingdom," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said of the two-day referendum that ended Monday on the islands, in which 99.8 percent of participating voters chose to keep the archipelago a self- governing British overseas territory.
"That said, we obviously recognize that there are competing claims," Nuland told reporters at a regular news briefing here. " Our formal position has not changed. We recognize the de facto UK administration of the islands, but we take no position on sovereignty claims."
The islands, inhabited by less than 3,000 people, have been under British control since 1833, but are claimed by Argentina as well. The two countries fought a brief war in June 1982, resulting in the death of 649 Argentines and 255 British soldiers.
Most countries in the Western Hemisphere stand behind Argentina, while the United States has called for a peaceful resolution of the dispute.
The vast majority of the Falklands residents are of British descent. Argentina has dismissed the referendum as a meaningless publicity stunt that carries no international legitimacy.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2013-03/13/c_124450320.htm
13/3/13