Joe Costello (Dublin Central, Labour)

The question of the Falkland Islands, Malvinas, has been the subject of ten resolutions adopted by the General Assembly of the United Nations, as well as resolutions of its special committee on decolonisation. On 16 December 1965, the General Assembly adopted resolution 2065 (XX), which invited the Governments of the United Kingdom and Argentina to proceed without delay with the negotiations recommended by the then special committee on the situation with regard to the implementation of the declaration on the granting of independence to colonial countries and peoples, requesting them to report back on results of the negotiations.

The General Assembly again addressed the issue at its plenary session on 14 December 1973 and adopted resolution 3160 (XXVIII). This resolution noted the passage of time since the previous resolution and the fact that no substantial progress had been made in negotiations. The resolution again urged the Governments of the United Kingdom and Argentina to proceed without delay with the negotiations in accordance with the provisions of the relevant resolutions of the General Assembly.

The question was the subject of another resolution in 1976 and of annual resolutions between 1982 and 1988. The most recent resolution, 43/25, was adopted in 1988 in which the General Assembly reiterated its request to the Governments of Argentina and the United Kingdom to initiate negotiations with a view to finding the means to resolve peacefully and definitively the problems between both countries, including all aspects of the future of the Falkland Islands, Malvinas, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations.

The issue has also been discussed at the UN's special committee on decolonisation every year since 1964. In its most recent resolution, adopted on 14 June 2012, the committee expressed its regret that, despite widespread international support for negotiation between the two Governments, implementation of General Assembly resolutions on the question had not yet started.

Additional Information not given on the floor of the House.

The Governments were requested to consolidate the current process of dialogue and co-operation through resumed negotiations to find a peaceful solution to the dispute relating to the question of the Falkland Islands, Malvinas, in line with General Assembly resolutions. I would encourage the United Kingdom and Argentina, two countries with which Ireland has excellent bilateral relations, to pursue a peaceful resolution of their differences on this matter, based on the relevant UN resolutions.

See this speech in context