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The Guardian World1 min read
No 10 say Falkland sovereignty rests with UK after report of US 'review'
TL;DR
Downing Street reaffirmed that Falkland Islands sovereignty belongs to the UK after reports of a potential US review of its stance. The UK government emphasized the islanders' right to self-determination.
Key points
- Downing Street affirmed UK sovereignty over the Falkland Islands
- US may review its position on the territory
- UK government supports islanders' right to self-determination
Mentioned in this story
Downing StreetUSFalkland Islands
Downing Street has said the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands "rests with the UK", following a report the US could review its position on the British claim to the territory.
The same internal Pentagon email, which was first reported by Reuters, suggested measures the US could pursue in retaliation against allies it believed had failed to support its campaign in Iran.
Asked about the report, a No 10 spokesman said: "The Falkland Islands have hugely voted overwhelmingly in favour of remaining a UK overseas territory, and we've always stood behind the islanders' right to self-determination and the fact that sovereignty rests with the UK."
BBC News has not seen the Pentagon email.
The prime minister's official spokesman also said the government "could not be clearer about the UK's position", and that "sovereignty rests with the UK and the islanders' right to self-determination is paramount".
He continued: "We've expressed this position previously clearly and consistently to successive US administrations and nothing is going to change that."
BBC News has contacted the Pentagon about the reported email.
The Falkland Islands review was one of a number of measures suggested in the email, including that the US could seek to suspend Spain from the Nato military alliance over its strong opposition to the Iran war.
A Nato official told the BBC that the organisation's founding treaty "does not foresee any provision for suspension of Nato membership, or expulsion".
Earlier, Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said: "We do not work based on emails. We work with official documents and official positions taken, in this case, by the government of the United States."
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Q&A
What did Downing Street say about Falkland Islands sovereignty?
Downing Street stated that the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands rests with the UK and supports the islanders' right to self-determination.
Why is the US considering a review of its position on the Falkland Islands?
The US may review its position as part of measures against allies perceived to have not supported its campaign in Iran, according to an internal Pentagon email.
What was the response of the UK government to the US report on Falkland Islands?
The UK government reiterated its clear position that sovereignty over the Falkland Islands belongs to the UK and emphasized the importance of the islanders' self-determination.
