THE FALKLAND ISLANDS

After 28 years of relative quiet the Falkland Islands (otherwise known to Latin America as Las Malvinas) are back in the news. The islands, located in the South Atlantic Ocean off the coast of South America, were taken over by the British in 1833, when largely uninhabited, and are now home to 2500 people, nearly all British citizens. Argentina, which has a long-standing claim to the islands, was in the process of negotiating some form of sovereignty transfer, when in April 1982 its military junta lost patience and invaded. The British responded by sending an amphibious task force. After a landing and a series of short, fierce battles, the Argentines surrendered. 258 British and 649 Argentines lost their lives in the conflict.

The war did not resolve the various territorial claims, but led to an uneasy peace. Britain poured money into developing the islands, with the result that the standard of living there is higher than in Argentina. Now, however, a potential flashpoint has arisen; oil. The waters around the islands are thought to contain substantial oil reserves; and the arrival this week of the first exploration drilling rig has caused Argentine pulses to quicken.

In the modern world, should the U.K. continue to exercise sovereignty over relatively small bits of territory on the other side of the globe? No, in my view. Back in 1982 I must admit to feeling a twinge of pride that Britain could still cut it militarily (though it was, by all accounts, a very close-run affair). But successive wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have rather taken the shine off military action in general. Nor is there any great issue of principle such as protecting citizens. Hong Kong was the case for principle, and the U.K. could not uphold it. Besides, the Government was already trying to get rid of the islands when the war broke out. It was only afterwards that British sovereignty became non-negotiable.

It is easy to see a potential formula whereby Argentina obtained sovereignty, but the existing islanders (plus any children born during the next - say- 20 years) retained British citizenship. But such a solution requires a bit more statesmanship from the British Government than they have shown for the past 20 years.

Walter Blotscher