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Argentina protests against Britain for Malvinas constitution
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-11-07 13:21

BUENOS AIRES -- The Argentine Foreign Ministry on Thursday raised a strong protest against Britain for approving a new constitution for the disputed Malvinas Islands, saying it infringed upon Argentina's sovereignty and violated related UN resolutions.

"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.

The new constitution, which will enter into force on January 1 to replace a version agreed in 1985, grants more autonomy to the islands while "retaining sufficient powers for the UK (United Kingdom) government to protect UK interests," the British Foreign Office announced.

"What it does not do is change the UK government's overall commitment to the Islands as an Overseas Territory," said British Foreign Office Minister Gillian Merron, after the constitution was agreed on Wednesday.

The disputed Malvinas Islands in southern Atlantic near the Argentine coast are called the Falklands by Britons.

They were occupied by British forces in 1833. Argentina fought a 74-day war with Britain in 1982 over the sovereignty of the archipelago, leaving 649 Argentine and 255 British soldiers dead. Britain later regained control of the islands.

Since Argentine President Cristina Fernandez took office in December, she has pledged repeatedly to recover the Malvinas Islands and demanded renegotiation with Britain on the disputed territory.