Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 25 February 2014
167. Deputy Finian McGrath asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade if he will support the Argentine Republic on its legitimate rights on the sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime areas. [9502/14]
View answerThe issue to which the Deputy refers concerns the long-running dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom regarding sovereignty over an area that includes the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) as well the South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands. The status of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) has been the subject of various resolutions adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations. The issue has also been discussed at the UN’s special committee on decolonisation every year since 1964. In its most recent resolution adopted on 20 June 2013, the committee expressed its regret that in spite of widespread international support for negotiations between Argentina and the UK, implementation of the relevant General Assembly resolutions had not yet started. I would encourage the UK and Argentina, two countries with which Ireland has excellent bilateral relations, to pursue a peaceful resolution of their differences on this matter, based on the relevant UN resolutions.
