Post date: Jan 04, 2013 11:5:2 AM
British tabloid newspaper The Sun takes out an advertisement in an English-language paper in Argentina defending Britain's right to govern the Falkland Islands.
LONDON, UK (JANUARY 4, 2013) (REUTERS) - A British tabloid published a full page newspaper advert in Argentina on Friday (January 4), warning its president to keep her "hands off" the Falklands.
The Sun was responding to an open letter from Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, published in two British newspapers on Thursday (January 3), in which she called for the islands to come under Argentine sovereignty.British Prime Minister Cameron said the future of the islands was up to the people who live there - not Argentina
The Sun's message to Ms Kirchner was printed in English language paper, The Buenos Aires Herald. It raises the issue of Argentina's 1982 invasion of the islands.
It mentions the 649 Argentine and 255 British servicemen who lost their lives, and states the invasion was in "direct conflict" with the UN principle of self-determination.
The advert in the paper disputes Argentina's claim to the islands.
It concludes: "Until the people of the Falkland Islands choose to become Argentinian, they remain resolutely British.
"In the name of our millions of readers and to put it another way: 'HANDS OFF!'"
Britain and Argentina fought a 10-week war in 1982 over the remote South Atlantic islands, which are part of Britain's self-governing overseas territories.
Fernandez has marked the 30th anniversary of the conflict with a sustained diplomatic campaign to assert Argentina's sovereignty claim.
The Falklands cause is a popular rallying cry in Argentina but the stakes have also been raised by oil exploration in the waters around the islands.