The 'truth' about the history of the Falklands

The Argentineans have simply never owned, settled or administrated the Falkland Islands - argues MEP

Let me offer a short aide memoire to BBC presenters, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, South American diplomats, politicians and the United States. The Argentineans have never owned, settled or administrated the Falkland Islands. Simply never. In true fashion, they rewrite history to suit their own political ends.

There are two main islands, East Falkland and West Falkland plus some small offshore islands. Captain John Davis, who was an English navigator, discovered the islands in 1593. Davis was born at Dartmouth in 1550. Four years before finding the Falkland Islands, he had fought for England against the Spanish Armada.

The Falkland Islands were of no value to any country and in 1764 the French took them but three years later ceded them to Spain. In 1771, Spain yielded them to Britain and they were made a crown colony in 1883. These dates are important because of subsequent events involving claims after settlement in the 1830s by the British and the invasion of the islands in 1982 by Argentina.

South America was inhabited by Amerindian natives until invasion and occupancy in 1516 by Spain. During the course of the following two hundred years, Buenos Aires was set up by the Spaniards as capital of a vast region which was divided into several states. By the 19th century, Spanish colonists had exterminated most of the native Indians then rebelled against Spain - not unlike the North America English colonists who rebelled against Britain.Read More HERE