Submission from Dr Paul Charman, Falkland
Islands
OVERSEAS TERRITORIES: ANNOUNCEMENT OF ORAL
EVIDENCE SESSION AND EXTENSION OF DEADLINE FOR WRITTEN EVIDENCE
I have recently seen the above. I have no idea
whether I am allowed to say anything—or how to say it. But
here is a contribution.
I lived in the Falklands/Malvinas many years
ago and have maintained an interest in the affairs of the Islands.
Recently I have been researching some of the
political aspects relating to the Islands.
It distresses me that the British Government
regularly states that it has no doubts about British sovereignty.
Yet I quite regularly come across documents at the National Archives
that show that successive British Governments have had serious
doubts—going back at least to the early years of the last
century.
In addition, Britain states that the wishes
of the Islanders are paramount. But how can 2000 people dictate
Britain's economic relationship with Argentina? How can so few
people dictate to the oil companies who say that they will not
develop oil in / around the Islands without the involvement of
Argentina.
The people of the Islands are very important
to me. It seems a pity that the ideas being discussed in the 1970's
(including the possibility of compensation in the event of a change
of sovereignty) were not concluded successfully.
6 December 2007
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