Although London refuses any negotiations over sovereignty, international law has been clear in this regard and diverse regional blocs have expressed their call for an end to this anachronistic colonial enclave in the 21st century.
In regards to the Malvinas, the United Nation's Resolution 2065 (XX) and in subsequent decisions made by the General Assembly, declares that this is a "special and particular" colonial case involving a dispute over sovereignty between Argentina and the United Kingdom, which must be resolved through negotiations between both parties, taking into account the interests of the islands' population.
Since 1965, various bodies of the United Nations have adopted more than 40 resolutions calling on both sides to find a peaceful and definitive solution over the sovereignty dispute. The Malvinas Islands also concerns South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime areas.
The international community as a whole continues to call repeatedly for dialogue, through a number of resolutions and declarations, not only the United Nations but the Organization of American States (OAS), Mercosur, the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), the Central American Integration System (SICA), the Ibero-Summit of South America with Arab Countries (ASPA), the Summit of South America and Africa (ASA) and the G-77+ China (131 countries), among others.
All countries in the region recognize the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime areas as part of Argentine national territory and have manifested their opposition to the British occupation in the southern hemisphere.
The region also rejects unilateral British exploration and exploitation of renewable and non-renewable natural resources in the disputed area, and the British military presence and its activities.
The right to self-determination is not a recognized right for any human community established in any given territory, but only for a people. The present inhabitants of the Malvinas Islands are not recognized as a "people" by United Nations resolutions, rather a transplanted British population, unlike the classic cases of colonialism in which a preexisting people are victims of colonial domination.
The United Kingdom occupied the islands in 1833 and drove the population off the islands. They then proceeded to take their own settlers and tightly control the migration policy of a single territory, while refusing to settle the dispute.
Until today, the colonial government decides the population composition of the territory. The islands' population is small and its demographics do not grow naturally and are dependent on the colonial government's economic and administrative needs.
17 colonies exist in the 21st century.
10 belong to the UK
3 belong to U.S.
2 belong to France
1 belongs to New Zealand
1 belongs to Morocco and Mauritania
According to a Malvinas Islands census, those born in the islands (44.7 percent) do not constitute the majority of the population and about 40% of the population have lived there for less than 10 years. Suggestively, for the first time in history, the census last year does not mention how many people are born in the islands, and the nationality of its inhabitants. It should be noted, moreover, that the Malvinas Islands are among the most militarized areas in the world, taking into account the proportion of soldiers (over two thousand) and civilians (2,563).
No resolution of the United Nations on the Malvinas Islands issue has referred to self-determination. Rather, the question is considered as a "special and particular" decolonization case where the existence of a sovereignty dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom must be resolved by bilateral negotiations taking into account the "interests" not the "wishes" of the islands' inhabitants.
In 1985, the General Assembly expressly rejected twice the inclusion of this principle in the resolutions over the Malvinas Islands issue. Moreover, the United Nations continues to urge concernedly, every year, the recommencement of bilateral negotiations towards a peaceful and definitive solution over the sovereignty dispute.
From 1966-1982, the two countries conducted negotiations and Argentina made a great effort to improve the living conditions of the islands' inhabitants through practical measures. Solutions such as transfer, joint management or leaseback of the islands were considered. Papers were drafted, agreed upon and even initialed by the negotiators, in which the UK agreed to recognize Argentina's sovereignty.
The intransigent attitude of certain sectors with economic interests in the islands prevented a solution. It is noteworthy that the UK previously negotiated with a military dictatorship and presently, not willing to do so now with a democratic and popular government that has condemned the armed conflict and designates a central role to the respect for human rights.