The United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization (C-24) adopted by consensus a new resolution that reiterates, as every year since 1983, the call to the United Kingdom and Argentina to resume negotiations to find, as soon as possible, a peaceful and definitive solution to the sovereignty controversy over the Malvinas, South Georgias and South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime areas.
The June 24th resolution was co-sponsored by all the Latin American members of the Special Committee: Chile, Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, Nicaragua and Venezuela. Other C24 members, like China, Russia, Indonesia, Syria, Sierra Leone, Antigua and Barbuda, Timor Leste and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, also spoke in support of Argentina during the discussion of the issue.
During the session, several statements were made in favor of Argentine rights by countries of the region, including interventions by Mexico, Paraguay and Costa Rica on behalf of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), the Member States and Associated States of MERCOSUR and the Central American Integration System (SICA). Also, Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Panama, Peru, the Dominican Republic and Uruguay spoke in their national capacities.
Foreign Minister Felipe Solá, accompanied by his Chief of Staff, Guillermo Justo Chaves, the Secretary for Malvinas, Antarctica and the South Atlantic, Daniel Filmus, and the Argentine Permanent Representative to the United Nations, María del Carmen Squeff, during the session transmitted “the unanimous support of all the political forces in our country for the peaceful recovery of the effective exercise of sovereignty over the Malvinas, South Georgias and South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime spaces”, and ratified “the permanent will of the Argentine Government to resume sovereignty negotiations with the United Kingdom ”.
Additionally, he reiterated “the Argentine Government’s complaints concerning activities that are contrary to General Assembly resolution 31/49, which urges the parties to refrain from carrying out unilateral actions in the disputed area until a definitive solution to the dispute is found. Among them, the illegal exploration and exploitation of renewable and non-renewable resources, as well as the United Kingdom’s unjustified and disproportionate military presence in the Islands ”.
As personally transmitted to Secretary-General António Guterres in a meeting held at the UN Headquarters on Tuesday, June 22, the Minister reiterated Argentina's interest in the mission of good offices that was entrusted to the Secretary-General in order to assist the parties in resolving the dispute.
The Argentine Secretary for the Malvinas, Antarctica and the South Atlantic, Daniel Filmus, pointed out that “the adoption by consensus of a new United Nations resolution on the Malvinas Question reflects the voice of the international community in its genuine aspiration that the sovereignty dispute can be resolved as soon as possible in a peaceful way ". He also added that" he hopes that this call will finally be heard and the persistent refusal of the United Kingdom to resume bilateral dialogue can be overcome. "
The C-24 was created in 1961 as a subsidiary body of the United Nations General Assembly. It is mandated to ensure the application of General Assembly resolution 1514 (XV) and, in this context, annually examines the 17 colonial situations that are still pending resolution, including the Malvinas Question, which has been classified by the Organization as a special and particular case.
