Britain and Argentina remembered the 25th anniversary of the end of the Falkland Islands conflict on Thursday, with British leaders attending a memorial service and Argentina's president calling Britain's triumph an unacceptable "colonial victory."
Queen Elizabeth II and former prime minister Margaret Thatcher joined old warriors and widows of the fallen at the memorial chapel at Pangbourne College west of London to mark the date when British forces accepted the surrender of the Argentine army, ending a 74-day occupation. British Prime Minister Tony Blair also attended.
The conflict, which followed Argentina's seizure of the islands on April 2, 1982, cost the lives of 255 British servicemen, many of them lost at sea, and more than 600 Argentines.
"I'm filled with sadness for the boys who never came home," said Steve Kettless, 50, who was in the Parachute Regiment in the battle for Goose Green. "That's the main emotion in remembering what happened 25 years ago for me -- 25 years have gone so quickly."
Argentine President Nestor Kirchner blasted the British victory and lashed out at Thatcher for praising her former fighters. Thatcher, who dispatched a naval task force to the South Atlantic to retake the archipelago, had used a radio speech to praise her military for its conduct.
"The whole nation rejoiced at the success; and we should still rejoice," Thatcher said on the British Forces Broadcasting Service.
"Aggression was defeated and reversed. The wishes of local people were upheld as paramount. Britain's honor and interests prevailed," she said.
Kirchner, in statements carried by local news agency Diarios y Noticias, said, "The islands are Argentine" and the British victory "was a colonial victory, really unacceptable in the eyes of the world."
"I would like to say to Senora Thatcher that she may have won the battle because she belongs to a world power, but she never defeated us through the force of reason or justice," Kirchner said on the sidelines of a public event opening a suburban Buenos Aires sports complex.
Many Argentines see their country's invasion of the islands as a mistake by the nation's now-discredited former military dictators. But Argentines universally call the islands their own, insisting the British seized them by force in 1833, and Kirchner reinvoked that sovereignty claim on Thursday while insisting that the archipelago would one day be returned peacefully.
He said Las Malvinas -- as the Argentinians call the islands -- "are Argentine and by way of peace will again be Argentina's."
Unlike in Britain, no large-scale ceremonies were held in Argentina recalling the date.
The two countries renewed diplomatic ties in 1990 and agree to not to discuss the outstanding Argentine claims of sovereignty to the islands populated by English-speaking people largely of British heritage.
In a message to the 3,100 residents of the islands, the queen said the British forces had "made a stand for democracy and freedom."
"Since then, you have shown that their sacrifice was not in vain by your continued loyalty and determination to safeguard and develop your way of life in these islands," the royal message said. "This week offers you an opportunity to look back with pride on your achievements and to look forward to a prosperous future, living in freedom and governed by those whom you have chosen."
The message underlined London's position that any change in the government of the British islands must win the support of the islanders.
Argentina continues to deny the local inhabitants claims to "self-determination," but has stepped up calls in international forums to regain the islands peacefully.
BACKLASH: The National Party quit its decades-long partnership with the Liberal Party after their election loss to center-left Labor, which won a historic third term Australia’s National Party has split from its conservative coalition partner of more than 60 years, the Liberal Party, citing policy differences over renewable energy and after a resounding loss at a national election this month. “Its time to have a break,” Nationals leader David Littleproud told reporters yesterday. The split shows the pressure on Australia’s conservative parties after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s center-left Labor party won a historic second term in the May 3 election, powered by a voter backlash against US President Donald Trump’s policies. Under the long-standing partnership in state and federal politics, the Liberal and National coalition had shared power
CONTROVERSY: During the performance of Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael’s song ‘New Day Will Rise,’ loud whistles were heard and two people tried to get on stage Austria’s JJ yesterday won the Eurovision Song Contest, with his operatic song Wasted Love triumphing at the world’s biggest live music television event. After votes from national juries around Europe and viewers from across the continent and beyond, JJ gave Austria its first victory since bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph. After the nail-biting drama as the votes were revealed running into yesterday morning, Austria finished with 436 points, ahead of Israel — whose participation drew protests — on 357 and Estonia on 356. “Thank you to you, Europe, for making my dreams come true,” 24-year-old countertenor JJ, whose
A documentary whose main subject, 25-year-old photojournalist Fatima Hassouna, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza weeks before it premiered at Cannes stunned viewers into silence at the festival on Thursday. As the cinema lights came back on, filmmaker Sepideh Farsi held up an image of the young Palestinian woman killed with younger siblings on April 16, and encouraged the audience to stand up and clap to pay tribute. “To kill a child, to kill a photographer is unacceptable,” Farsi said. “There are still children to save. It must be done fast,” the exiled Iranian filmmaker added. With Israel
NO EXCUSES: Marcos said his administration was acting on voters’ demands, but an academic said the move was emotionally motivated after a poor midterm showing Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr yesterday sought the resignation of all his Cabinet secretaries, in a move seen as an attempt to reset the political agenda and assert his authority over the second half of his single six-year term. The order came after the president’s allies failed to win a majority of Senate seats contested in the 12 polls on Monday last week, leaving Marcos facing a divided political and legislative landscape that could thwart his attempts to have an ally succeed him in 2028. “He’s talking to the people, trying to salvage whatever political capital he has left. I think it’s