Falklands will hold referendum on whether to remain British territory

The Falkland Islands is to hold a referendum on its “political status” – hoping to finally bring an end to the bitter dispute with Argentina over the islands’ sovereignty, the government there has announced.

Almost exactly 30 years after the islands were liberated by UK troops from an invading Argentinian army, the islanders are to be asked to vote on its sovereign status – in a move that should underline their desire to remain a British territory.

Despite the successful British military campaign, Buenos Aires continues to set its sights on claiming the islands it calls Las Malvinas.

But the Falkland Islands government said it hopes a referendum will send a firm message to Argentinian president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner that islanders want to remain British.

The Falkland Islands are 7,780 miles from the UK, but have been under British control since 1833 – apart from the 74 days of Argentinian occupation in 1982.

Gavin Short, chairman of the Falklands’ Legislative Assembly, said: “We are holding this referendum not because we have any doubts about who we are and what future we want, but to show the world just how certain we are about it.

“I have no doubt that the people of the Falklands wish for the islands to remain a self-governing overseas territory of the United Kingdom.

“We certainly have no desire to be ruled by the government in Buenos Aires, a fact that is immediately obvious to anyone who has visited the islands and heard our views. But we are aware that not everybody is able to come to these beautiful islands and see this reality for themselves.”

He added: “The Argentine government deploys misleading rhetoric that wrongly implies that we have no strong views or even that we are being held hostage by the UK military. This is simply absurd.”

Just over half of the 3,000 people living in the Falklands are on the electoral roll. The poll will be organised by the Falkland Islands government and will take place in the first half of next year.

Mr Short said: “We have thought carefully about how to convey a strong message to the outside world that expresses the views of the Falklands people in a clear, democratic and incontestable way.

“So we have decided, with the full support of the British Government, to hold a referendum on the Falkland Islands to eliminate any possible doubt about our wishes.”

The Falklands government said it intends to invite international observers to verify the outcome of the referendum, details of which will be announced in the coming weeks.

Tension over the islands’ identity has heightened recently. Last week Ms de Kirchner announced that Buenos Aires would be launching criminal proceedings against UK oil firms that are operating off the Falklands’ coastline, saying they were working illegally.

Britain has accused Argentina of implementing a number of economic blockades on the small, isolated islands and of acting in a “domineering way”. British officials are adamant that there will be no change in the UK’s sovereignty of the islands unless and until the Falklanders themselves wish it.

David Cameron said Britain would “respect and defend” the outcome of the referendum.

“I have always said that it is up to the Falkland islanders themselves to choose whether they want to be British,” he said.