UK, Argentina Agree on 1st Joint Positive Statement on Falklands Since 1999

Britain and Argentina agreed to work toward removing restrictive measures around the oil and gas industry, shipping and fishing.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The United Kingdom and Argentina have agreed on the first joint positive statement on the South Atlantic and Falklands issue, the UK government said in a statement on Wednesday.

"The UK and Argentina are building a positive relationship based on areas where we so clearly agree," Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister Alan Duncan said, as quoted in the statement.

The sides agreed to work toward removing restrictive measures around the oil and gas industry, shipping and fishing.

The minister stressed that the statement would not affect the issue of sovereignty as "our position on sovereignty has not changed — there can be no dialogue on this unless the Falkland Islanders so wish."

Argentina claims that it has inherited the Falkland Islands, located about 300 miles off the country's east coast, after they became independent of Spain. The territorial dispute with the United Kingdom saw a 74-day Falklands War in 1982, when Argentina invaded and briefly occupied the islands controlled by London.

In March 2013, residents of the Falklands almost unanimously voted for the archipelago to remain an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom.