Falkland Islands risk fresh spat with Argentina as nation seeks to get its own passports

By
Ian Drury

Last updated at 10:30 AM on 14th February 2012

The Falkland Islands is opening talks with the Government about getting its own passport – risking a fresh spat with Argentina.

Officials representing the territory in London are to speak to the Home Office about the possibility of customising the travel document so that the words ‘Falkland Islands’ appear on the front cover.

The idea, which has popular support among the islands’ 3,000 citizens, is intended to reflect their pride at living in the Falklands while reinforcing their links to the UK.

Disputed: Argentina calls the Falkland Islands (pictured) Las Malvinas and claims they were 'stolen' by Britain 180 years ago

Disputed: Argentina calls the Falkland Islands (pictured) Las Malvinas and claims they were ‘stolen’ by Britain 180 years ago

The move would send a clear message to Argentina that the population has no wish to give up British sovereignty.

The government in Buenos Aires has been ratcheting up tensions over the islands’ future ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War, when invading Argentine forces were driven out of the archipelago. The two-month conflict cost 255 British and 649 Argentine lives.

The Falkland Islands is eager to reinforce its relationship with Britain by asking for the name to be included on passports that are handed out to its citizens.

Dick Sawle, a member of the islands’ legislative assembly, is pushing for it to be embossed in gold lettering on the maroon passport cover below the words ‘United Kingdom Of Great Britain And Northern Ireland’ and on the information page.

This would bring the Falkland Islands into line with Gibraltar, another British overseas territory, which is allowed to print its name on the front cover of its UK passport. However, these are handed out by the Gibraltan authorities.

Dick Sawle is advocating for the passport

Dick Sawle is advocating for the passport cover to include ‘United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland’

Around 30 people from the Falkland Islands apply for passports each year, which are issued in London. Officials are investigating whether a batch of blank documents could be stamped with the words ‘Falkland Islands’ and handed to those who request them.

Mr Sawle said: ‘This is certainly not about any form of independence from Britain. We want to remain British. But it is about being proud of the islands that we live in. It is a very small thing but it has a lot of support in the Falklands.’

Falkland Islands’ residents were granted full UK citizenship under the British Nationality (Falkland Islands) Act 1983, a year after the war.

However, sources suggested the Home Office might consider it too expensive to invest in the specialised passport-making machinery required to give the Falklands its own passport cover.

The move was revealed after the diplomatic row over the Falklands deepened when Argentina complained to the United Nations on Friday that Britain was ‘militarising’ the islands.

The Ministry of Defence is sending state-of-the-art Type 45 destroyer HMS Dauntless to patrol the South Atlantic and Prince William is on the islands as a RAF search-and-rescue helicopter pilot. Both deployments are ‘routine’, insist defence chiefs.

Argentine foreign minister Hector Timerman’s claims to the UN that the UK was increasing its military presence was branded ‘absurd’ by British diplomats.

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I think Mr Penn could do with a lesson in history

Joy, London, 14.30 says…”Why don’t you learn some history before spouting such c**p. Hong Kong was on a lease from China and it was not handed over, it was handed back when the lease expired. Totally different situation and proving your ignorance.” Sorry Joy but you are showing your ignorance. Hongkong was not leased to Britain but surrendered in perpetuity by the then Chinese government in what they latter reasonably considered to be “an unequal treaty”. Kowloon and the New Territoires were subsequently leased, but the reality was than Hongkong could not possibly continue as a Crown Colony without them. Thus even without the enormously strong Chinese moral argument, continuation of British rule in any shape or form was a non-starter.

Good for you Falklanders, it’s your land and should do what ever you wish.
Don’t think it will stop the perpetual whinging of the argies though…

Good for you Falklanders, it’s your land and should do what ever you wish.
Don’t think it will stop the perpetual whinging of the argies though…

Flexing muscles against Argentina is far too easy and, to be perfectly honest, a bit embarassing. When it was a matter of dealing with China of course, it was a whole different story: Hong Kong was handed over, and everybody had to aknowledge it was for the best. Well, as the old Chinese saying goes: “Strong with the weak, weak with the strong, and nothing ever will go wrong.”
– Stu, UK, 14/2/2012 10:08===================Why don’t you learn some history before spouting such c**p. Hong Kong was on a lease from China and it was not handed over, it was handed back when the lease expired. Totally different situation and proving your ignorance.

Yaaaahh, go for it Falkland Islanders…. stick it to ’em.

Robert leicester, you have a point does that mean the falklands would have to have the eu stars on it? or would it be more say like the isle of man which are not part of the eu but are crown dependent

Gosh there are some very ignorant people on here. if we are talking about handing anything back to anyone then we should hand the Falkland Islands back to the French as they were the first country to land on this empty land way before Argentina existed. Please people read up on your history before bleating on giving something back to someone that never had it in the first place!

I wonder if there is any reason why The Falklands could not be given full independance and therefore at their own will, as an independant nation, enter into a treaty with the UK that covers defence, monetary union, trade and anything else ‘the two nations’ chose to include, on whatever terms they chose to agree? Who would then be challenged as ‘the imperialists’ – the newly independant and democratically free nation that chose it’s own destiny, or a colonial expansionist country some 300+ miles away with whom it had no shared bonds or cultural heritage?

As has often been said the smart way for Argentina to fix this would be a subsidized weekly air link, automatic long term visas for any purpose, best place for servicing the oil industry, free uni. etc etc etc. Given a couple of generations the islands would have such close blood ties with Argentina the issue would fade away. Trouble is that beef eating gauchos are neither smart nor patient. And why would HMG help them find the error of their ways? The oil bounty will come in right handy. BTW there is no way the whole amount will accrue to the islanders, nor should it. They are very proud of pointing out that they are citizens of the UK. The Argies should stick to what they are good at, chasing cows, footballs round and oval and dancing. They could also advise the Greeks on the finer points of going bust.

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