Argentina's Claim To Falkland Islands

Chronicle (Levin), 12 February 1948, Page 8

Argentina's Claim To Falkland Islands

Received Wednesdav, 7.0 p.m. LONDON, Feb, 11. The Foreign Office is at present considering the Argentinian suggestionthat a con-ference to decide the sover eigntv of the Falkiand Islands should be held in Buenos Aires but although as the Manchester Guardian puts it{ "Mr. Bevin doesn't want to quarrol with his butcher, it is considered most unlikcly that Britain will" depart from the present stand which is that,-»if thcinatter is considered at all, it should go before the [nternational Court oi Justice at The Hague. As General Peron has refused to agree to this, a virtual deadloelt exists. It is p&inted out by the British press that tbe majoritv of the settlersx in the Falklands are British nationals and that Britain has continuously ad ministered the island for 40' years Moreover, British claims go m-uch fur ther hack than' that. Thev rest on discovery in 1594 and upon an assertion .of sovereignty in 1771. Against this the Argcntine has made only spasmodic claims, relving chiefly upon the landing of a small contingent of soldiers in 1833. These were witlidrawn as the result of a British protest. Today the Falkland Islands dependencies are a British colony and as such, it is considered most unlikel.v that the Foreign Office will agree to go further than. the present oft'er to refel- . the matter to the International Court.