Sunak accuses EU of ‘regrettable’ choice of words in Falklands row - as bloc clarifies position

Rishi Sunak has accused the European Union of a “regrettable” choice of words in a row over the Falklands island.

The prime minister’s spokesman said it was “right” that the bloc “have been required to clarify their position”.

“We made our views very clear and have spoken to the EU on this in Brussels,” he added as he said the PM “absolutely” did not want to see a repeat of the blunder.

A diplomatic row erupted after the EU appeared to endorse the Argentine name for the Falkland Islands.

Brussels signed a declaration with Argentina and other Latin American countries on Tuesday, which referred to the disputed territory as Islas Malvinas, leading Argentina’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to hail the move a “triumph of diplomacy” on social media.

The document was published following a two-day summit between the 27 EU member states and the bloc of 33 Latin American countries, known as Celac.

Argentine President Alberto Fernández, who was in Brussels for the meeting, posted on Twitter after the meeting that “the European Union and Celac adopted a motion on the Malvinas Question”, saying: “Our sovereignty claim, by peaceful means and through dialogue, remains intact.”

Conflict over sovereignty rights to the archipelago has been ongoing for centuries. The dispute has been between the UK and Argentina in the modern era, with both countries laying claim to the territory. This escalated into the full-blown conflict that the Falklands War in 1982.

A UK Foreign Office source told The Independent: “The Argentine Government can lobby whoever they wish, but it doesn’t change the fact that the Falkland Islands are British. That is the clear will of the Falkland Islanders.

“10 years ago, 99.8% of Falkland Islanders who voted said they wanted to stay a part of the UK family. Our commitment to that decision is unwavering and will continue to be so.”

On Wednesday, British diplomats asked the European Council president, Charles Michel, to “clarify” the bloc’s position, according to the Guardian.

However, referencing Brexit, an EU official reportedly told the Financial Times: “This was agreed by 27 member states and the Celac countries. We cannot issue a statement on their behalf.

“The UK is not part of the EU. They are upset by the use of the word Malvinas. If they were in the EU perhaps they would have pushed back against it.”

They added that “the Argentines have spun it in a certain way”.

The declaration - endorsed by 32 of the 33 Celac countries, because Nicaragua refused due to language on the Ukraine conflict - states: “Regarding the question of sovereignty over the Islas Malvinas/Falkland Islands, the European Union took note of Celac’s historical position based on the importance of dialogue and respect for international law in the peaceful solution of disputes.”

Peter Stano, a spokesperson for the European External Action Service, which is the EU’s diplomatic service, told The Independent: “The EU Member States have not changed their views and positions concerning the Falklands/Islas Malvinas.

“The EU is not in a situation to express any position on the Falklands/Islas Malvinas, as there is not any Council discussion on this matter.

“The EU does not take any position on such issues without a council mandate.”

He added: “The EU is always ready to listen to the position of our partners and take note of that. In that spirit, the EU has taken note of the interest shown by Argentina and the CELAC states in addressing the question of the Falklands/Islas Malvinas.”