US 'remains neutral' in Malvinas sovereignty dispute

The US has stated that it will remain neutral in the Malvinas Islands sovereignty dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom, said the spokesperson of the US State Department’s Victoria Nuland after the recent announcement that the islanders will hold a referendum in 2013 to decided whether they want to remain British or not. 

“Our position remains one of neutrality,” Nuland said during the department’s daily press briefing.

“We recognize the de facto UK administration of the islands, but we don’t take any position regarding sovereignty claims,” she added, and rejected to comment on whether the US would change its position on the matter, which she called “hypothetical.” 

The Malvinas Islands will hold referendum on the “political status” on 2013 in order to show the world that their inhabitants wish to remain British, the head of the Malvinas Islands legislative assembly Gavin Short recently announced.

The decision comes only a few days from the 30th anniversary of the end of the brief war between both nations over the South Atlantic archipelago, which remains under British control since 1833 but has been claimed as sovereign by Argentina in every international forum.