The British government criticized the European Union (EU) for using the name Islas Malvinas, which Argentina uses to refer to the Malvinas/Falklands, in an official document.

The EU referred to the disputed area as “Islas Malvinas/Falkland Islands” in a statement this week following the Brussels summit with the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), a group of 33 countries including Argentina.

“With regard to the issue of sovereignty over the Malvinas/Falkland Islands, the European Union has taken note of CELAC’s historic position based on the importance of dialogue and respect for international law in the peaceful settlement of disputes,” the document said.

British Prime Minister’s spokesman Rishi Sunak said it was a “regrettable choice of words”.

However, the EU insisted not to take a position on the dispute.

We advise

Argentina wins the World Cup: the spectacular tide of people who celebrated Albiceleste’s victory in the World Cup

Elections in Spain: Why do citizens have such a negative view of the country’s economy if it is growing more than that of Germany or France

Why NATO does not accept Ukraine’s accession for the time being

“An attack on democracy”: 3 keys to the European Union corruption scandal (and why Qatar is involved)

It is the first time the EU has held a summit with Celac since the UK left the European bloc in early 2020.

Argentina claims sovereignty over this British Overseas Territory, in the Southwest Atlantic.

Asked by British reporters about the EU’s use of the “Malvinas”, Sunak’s spokesman replied: “The Prime Minister’s view is that it would have been completely unacceptable for the EU to question the right of the inhabitants of the islands to decide their own future.”

“For the record, the Falkland Islands are British“That was the choice of its own people,” he said, referring to the results of the 2013 referendum, in which they voted overwhelmingly to remain British territory.

“The EU has clarified that its position on the islands has not changed following his regrettable choice of words,” he added.

“Argentine Triumph”

In a tweet, British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said Argentina and the EU should “listen” to the islanders’ “democratic choice”.

Argentina’s Foreign Ministry celebrated the reference to the sovereignty issue as a “triumph of Argentine diplomacy”an idea that was repeated in some media outlets in that country.

But, unlike the British media, neither the government nor the press in Argentina focused on the name used for the disputed area in the summit’s closing statement.

Rather, they focused on the inclusion of the “Malvinas issue” as the dispute was not mentioned in the statements following the 2015 EU-CELAC summit, nor at the inaugural summit in 2013.

There are reports that Britain has made a diplomatic effort to discourage the EU from mentioning the dispute in this week’s closing statement.

“Deeply disappointed”

EU foreign affairs spokesman Peter Stano added that he “couldn’t take any position” because the 27 member states had not taken a common position on the issue.

“The EU is always ready to listen to and take note of our partners’ point of view,” he added.

“In that spirit The EU noted the interest of Argentina and the CELAC States in addressing the Malvinas/Falklands issue”.

In a press release, the Falkland/Malvinas government said it was “deeply disappointed” with the language used in the EU statement.

Teslyn Barkman, vice president of the territory’s Legislative Assembly, urged EU countries to “respect the wishes of the islanders and refer to us by our proper name”.

The Malvinas/Falklands were the subject of a short but bitter war between the United Kingdom and Argentina in 1982, after Argentine troops landed on the islands to claim the territory.

The conflict lasted 74 days, killing 655 Argentines, 255 Britons and three islanders, before British forces regained full control on June 14, 1982. (I)