Argentina protests Falklands constitution

The latest round in the dispute between Argentina and the U.K. over the Falklands Islands came about yesterday.

A new charter for the Falklands is expected to take effect on January 1st. According to British officials, the new charter grants more autonomy to the island while "retaining sufficient powers for the UK government to protect UK interests."

In response, the Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Taina said that a formal protest will be launched:

"This British unilateral act mainly constitutes a new and open violation of the 31/49 Resolution taken in 1976 by the UN General Assembly, which urges both parties in dispute (Argentine and United Kingdom) to abstain from taking decisions to introduce unilateral decisions," said the ministry.

Over 800 soldiers (mostly Argentine) were killed in the 1982 Falklands War which resulted when Argentine forces tried to retake the British-owned islands. Subsequent Argentine governments have tried to strengthen their claim on the islands located 300 miles off the Argentina’s coast. "The sovereign claim to the Malvinas Islands is inalienable," declared Argentine President Cristina Kirchner in a speech last April.

Image- AFP (“Argentine Malvinas (Falklands) war veterans and relatives of the fallen mark the 25th anniversary of the war in 2007.”)
Sources- The Latin Americanist, AFP, BBC News, AHN, Wikipedia