Prime Minister’s Christmas Message 2017
The Prime Minister, the Rt Hon Theresa May MP, sent a strong message of support to the Falkland Islanders, stressing her commitment to defending the Islanders’ right to self-determination and promising strong support for the Islanders’ efforts in realising the full potential of the Islands.
Key elements of the Prime Minister’s personal message included:
- her promise, in the context of the 35th anniversary of the 1982 conflict, never to allow anyone to compromise the Islanders’ right to self-determination;
- her commitment to support the Islanders in advancing the broader prosperity of the Islands;
- her belief that there were “non-sovereignty related areas where we can work together with Argentina for the benefit of all concerned.” Acknowledging that progress had been slower than anticipated, she said that work would continue with Argentina to ensure delivery of all Joint Communiqué commitments, including the removal of [Argentina’s] restrictive measures against the Islands.
- her Government’s commitment to secure a Brexit deal with the European Union “that is right for the whole United Kingdom and all our Overseas Territories.”
She congratulated the new Members of the Legislative Assembly on their success in the November elections and thanked the Falkland Islands Government for their help in enabling the ICRC’s identification of Argentine soldiers buried in the cemetery near Darwin. She also drew attention to the UK Government’s continued commitment to rid the Islands of the minefields laid by the Argentine military in 1982.
The Prime Minister ended with a simple message to the Falkland Islanders: “You can count on me as a UK Prime Minister who will do everything possible to support you in realising the full potential of these Islands.”
