Review the status of the Falklands/Malvinas

The sovereignty of the Falklands/Malvinas, two small islands plus some tiny islets in the South Atlantic, is disputed by the UK and Argentina.

An Argentine military dictatorship invaded the islands in 1982 and was defeated by British forces, leading to the collapse of the junta; hundreds of lives were lost on both sides.

Three full decades on and Argentina is now a properly functioning parliamentary democracy with social and economic policies in many cases more progressive than Britain's.

Buenos Aires regards the islands as its own but has made it clear that it has no intention to seize them militarily and this stance is supported by the overwhelming majority of the Argentine population, who want good relations with a country (Britain) with which it has always entertained close ties, culturally and economically.

The United Nations has repeatedly called on both sides to negotiate and Argentina has offered to sit down and talk. Britain steadfastly and stubbornly refuses on the grounds of the right to self-determination. Many countries see the British presence as an illegal colonial occupation – especially the nations of Latin America, with whom the United Kingdom would do well to maintain good relations. And why was self-determination not possible for so many other peoples and minorities around the world (not that these different cases can in any way be equated...).

The islands are a few hundred miles away from the Argentine mainland but thousands from London. How can the United Kingdom justify its presence? At least, it should agree to civilized talks under international auspices. How much longer can it justify the huge cost of maintaining this outpost of the British Empire, decades after the independence of most of the Commonwealth?

I call for pressure to be brought to bear on the British coalition government to see to reason and agree to negotiations under the auspices of the United Nations, for the sake of better relations with countries of the region and the rest of the world. Colonialism should be dealt a final blow, for the sake of progress and humanity. The United Kingdom Government should listen to reason.