Falkland Islands 'was nearly shared by Britain and Argentina'
Britain was on the verge of sharing the Falkland Islands with Argentina almost 40 years ago, with islanders having joint nationality, it was claimed on Tuesday.
The deal was accepted in 1974 by President Juan Domingo Perón with
"euphoria", but was never concluded because he died three weeks after the offer was made, according to a document seen by Argentine newspaper La Nacion.
Britain did not trust his wife and successor, María Estela Martínez, and so
the plan was dropped, the newspaper reported. Eight years later the two
countries went to war when Argentinian troops invaded the islands in 1982.
The "non-official document" from the Foreign Office, shows Britain offered "to settle the dispute about sovereignty".
"The British and Argentine flags would fly side by side and the official languages would be English and Spanish," the document states. "All 'belongers' of the island would possess dual nationality."
"Before final agreement the Islanders would have to be formally consulted and their acceptance sought by some form of popular representation.
"On this basis, Her Majesty's Government propose that, if the Argentine
Government agree, official or preliminary official talks should take place in Buenos Aires as soon as possible."
James Hutton, the British ambassador to Argentina, handed the note to Alberto Vignes, the Argentine foreign minister, at a meeting June 11, 1974.
When the Argentine president was informed of the offer, he reacted with
"euphoria", said Carlos Ortiz de Rozas, a diplomat in the Peron administration.
"(Vignes) confided in me that Peron had told him: 'Let's accept. Once we
have one foot in the Malvinas nobody will get us out and before long Argentina will have full sovereignty'" said Mr Ortiz de Rozas, 85.
However, Peron died from a heart attack having suffered pneumonia on July 1, and was succeeded by his dancer wife, known as Isabel. She proved incapable of uniting the country, and the military junta toppled her from power in a coup in 1976.
In 1980 Mr Ortiz de Rozas became ambassador to Britain, a position he still held when Argentina invaded the Falklands.
"As well as being a tragedy, the war was the wrong path, because concrete
steps had been taken to resolve the problem of sovereignty through peaceful means," he said.
A Foreign Office spokesman said: "This (document) does not detract from
Argentina's illegal and unjustified act of aggression in invading the islands, nor from our belief that the Falkland Islanders should have the final say in their own futures."
Tensions between the two countries have escalated in recent months in advance of April's 30th anniversary of Britain's successful war to liberate the Falklands.
Argentina's industry minister last month called for British imports to be
banned, in the latest attempt to compel Britain to negotiate over the
sovereignty of the islands.
Jeremy Browne, Foreign Office minister, on Tuesday denounced Argentina's "economic blockade" of the Falklands.
"Britain's position on this matter is very clear. We do not seek a dispute
with Argentina," Mr Browne said.
"But we have an absolute belief in the principle of self-determination. And we do not believe that an economic blockade of the Falklands is the right thing to do."
Falkland Islands 'was nearly shared by Britain and Argentina' - Telegraph