LONDON (Sputnik) — Recently, Argentina and the United Kingdom revisited their dispute over ownership of the islands. Argentina, in claims that it inherited the Falkland Islands after they became independent of Spain, threatened to prosecute oil companies “illegally operating” near the islands.
UK Defense Minister Michael Fallon stressed that the United Kingdom will continue to resist such statements and actions by the Argentine authorities, recognizing only UK sovereignty over the islands as well as the natural resources near them.
The conflict over the disputed territory intensified after significant amounts of oil were discovered near the islands.
The Falklands War refers to a ten-week military conflict between the United Kingdom and Argentina over British territories in the South Atlantic, the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. Beginning in April 1982, when Argentina invaded and occupied the Falkland Islands in an attempt to establish sovereignty, the war claimed over 900 lives. It ended on June 14, 1982, with Argentina's capitulation.
In a 2013 referendum, almost 100 percent of the islanders voted to remain a British overseas territory.
