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INTERNATIONAL
AGREEMENTS INVOLVING THE FALKLAND ISLANDS
1771 Agreement
Signed 22nd January 1771 between the British and Spanish Governments, in
order to avert an impending war between the two countries after Spanish
warships forced the British to evacuate their naval base at Port Egmont on
Saunders Island on 10 June 1770. The Spanish agreed to reinstate the
British and to restore all goods confiscated from Port Egmont, but both
parties reiterated their claim to sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.
1971 Communications Agreement
The British Government, against strong opposition from Falkland Islanders,
bowed to pressure from Argentina and the United Nations and agreed a
package of measures which routed all the Islands' international
communications including passenger flights through Argentina, and forced
Islanders travelling through Argentina to carry an Argentine National
Identity Card.
1974 Petroleum Products Agreement
The British Government, again ignoring strong protests from Falkland
Islanders, gave the Argentine state oil and gas company a monopoly in the
supply of petroleum products to the Falkland Islands.
1989 Agreement - Sovereignty
Umbrella
Britain broke-off diplomatic relations with the Argentine Government when
Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands on 2nd April 1982. In October
1989 talks were held in Madrid between British and Argentine Delegations
led by senior diplomats. The two countries issued a Joint Statement
in which they agreed a formula on sovereignty ('the sovereignty umbrella')
which established a framework within which further talks on matters of
mutual interest could be held. They also agreed to re-establish
consular links, to resume air and maritime communications, to lift all
remaining commercial restrictions imposed in 1982, and to set up a working
group to look at issues of fisheries co-operation and conservation in the
South Atlantic.
1990 Agreement - Diplomatic
Relations Re-established
In February 1990 (following-on from the 1989 Joint Statement on
Sovereignty) talks resumed in Madrid between the British and Argentine
Delegations. A further Joint Statement was issued in which the two
Governments agreed to re-establish diplomatic links, to no longer require
visiting nationals of the other country to obtain visas, to allow
next-of-kin visits under the auspices of the Red Cross to the Argentine
Cemetery at Darwin, and to co-operate in
certain spheres within the South Atlantic including joint search and
rescue missions.
1990 Fisheries Agreement
On 28 November 1990 the British and Argentine Governments issued a Joint
Statement which led to the establishment of the South Atlantic Fisheries
Commission, a scientific body involving scientists from Britain, Argentina
and the Falkland Islands which works to manage and conserve fish stocks in
the South Atlantic.
1995 Hydrocarbons Agreement
Signed 27th September 1995 between the British and Argentine
Governments, with active participation by the Falkland Islands
Government. Agreed to designate part of the South West Atlantic as
an Area of Special Co-operation, and to co-operate through the
establishment of a Joint Commission in order to encourage the exploration
and exploitation of hydrocarbons in the South West Atlantic by the
offshore gas and oil industry.
1999 Agreement
Signed 14th July 1999 between the British and Argentine Governments, with
active participation by the Falkland Islands Government. Agreed the
immediate resumption of a scheduled air service to the Falkland Islands
from South America; admission to the Falkland Islands to Argentine
citizens upon production of their passports to Falkland Islands
Immigration Control; mutual co-operation on fisheries issues between the
Falkland Islands and Argentine Governments; the construction of a
permanent memorial at the Argentine cemetery in the Islands to Argentine
troops killed in 1982; reconsideration by the Argentine Government of the
use of Argentine place names for Falkland Islands locations; and mutual
co-operation on the removal of landmines between the Argentine and British
Governments.
2001 Flights and Navigation Agreement
Exchange of notes dated 23 February 2001 between the British and Argentine
Governments permitting flights by private civil aircraft and navigation by
private vessels between the Falkland Islands and Argentina.
2001 Environment Charter
Signed 26 September 2001 between the Government of the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the Falkland
Islands. Extends the UK's obligations under the 1992 Rio Convention
to the Falkland Islands, and sets out a framework for action by the UK and
Falkland Islands Governments.
2001 Agreement on Mine Clearance
Feasibility Study
Exchange of notes dated 11 October 2001 between the British and Argentine
Governments agreeing to undertake a joint study into the clearance of land
mines laid in the Falkland Islands during the 1982 Falklands War.
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