Milei rules out immediate solution for the Malvinas, “in the hands of the United Kingdom”

The president of Argentina, Javier Mileiadmitted that the Falkland Islands, of which the South American country claims its sovereignty, are “in the hands of the United Kingdom” and that there is no “instant solution” to the dispute, he said in an interview with the BBC.

The libertarian politician also recognized that it could take decades to try to recover the island and stressed that Argentina does not “seek conflict” with the United Kingdom.

“If that territory is now in the hands of the United Kingdom, it has the right to do so. “I don’t see it as a provocation,” added Milei, whose position contrasts with that of previous Argentine governments, which have demanded that the United Kingdom open negotiations on the sovereignty of the islands, which has always been rejected by London.

Milei said that he wants the islands to be Argentine “in the framework of peace.”

“We are not going to renounce our sovereignty, nor are we going to seek a conflict with the United Kingdom,” said the president, who refused to set a deadline for its recovery, stating that “it will take time.” and would involve a “long-term negotiation.”

When asked why the UK would agree to this, he said: “Maybe they don’t want to negotiate today. At some later point they may want to do it. Many positions have changed over time.”

The Argentine politician acknowledged that this could take decades and made reference to the British handover of the former colony of Hong Kong to China in 1997.

Milei made this observation after he promised a “Roadmap” for the islands to pass into Argentine hands when the 42nd anniversary of the beginning of the war that confronted the two countries was remembered, on April 2, 1982.

Likewise, he criticized politicians who ““They beat their chests demanding the sovereignty of the islands, but to no avail.”

During the interview, which took place in Buenos Aires, Milei praised the former conservative British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, who was at the head of the Government when the two countries faced each other in the war and ordered the sinking of the cruiser General Belgrano, in the that 323 people on board died.

Asked if he still admired Thatcher, the president said: “Criticizing someone because of their nationality or race is very intellectually precarious. I have listened to many speeches by Margaret Thatcher. She was brilliant. So what is the problem?”.

In the Falklands War, which ended with the surrender of the Argentine Military Junta in June 1982, 255 British soldiers, three islanders and 649 Argentine soldiers died. Argentina has claimed sovereignty of the islands since 1833.

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