The British government said Thursday that the European Union made an “unfortunate choice of words” in calling the British-ruled Falkland Islands the Malvinas Islands, as they are called in Argentina and in much of the Hispanic world.
A statement from the EU-Latin America summit on Tuesday referred to the archipelago in the South Atlantic as “Islas Malvinas/Falkland Islands.” Argentina, which claims sovereignty over the islands, considered it a diplomatic triumph.
Some saw it as a slight to Britain, which left the EU in 2020 and was not present at the summit to present its position.
Max Blain, a spokesman for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, said EU officials “clarified their position” later.
“It would have been totally unacceptable for the EU to call into question the right of Falklanders to decide their own future,” the spokesperson said.
He added that, “to put it plainly, the Falkland Islands are British, so the islanders decided. The EU has correctly clarified that its position on the Falklands has not changed after his regrettable choice of words.”
“There is concern at any suggestion that EU states recognize Argentina’s claims to the Falklands, which they have clarified is incorrect.”
Argentina has always claimed sovereignty over the islands, located 480 kilometers from South America and inhabited by some 3,500 people.
Argentina claims the islands were taken from it in 1833. Britain, which says its territorial claim dates back to 1765, sent a warship to the islands in 1833 to drive out Argentine forces that tried to establish sovereignty.
Argentina invaded the islands in 1982, sparking a two-month war won by Britain, in which 649 Argentine soldiers, 255 British and three islanders died.
In 2013, residents voted overwhelmingly to remain an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom.
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