Argentina's president Javier Milei has suggested the Falkland Islands should be handed over to Argentina in a Hong Kong-style scenario, saying the territory is "ours".
Speaking to The Economist, the Argentine leader said his nation did not "believe in war" and called for a "consensus solution" on the Falklands, despite announcing a string of punitive measures on the archipelago just hours before.
Milei said "The Malvinas are Argentine" - referring to the land by the Argentine name for the Falklands - and claimed he would "defend our sovereignty rights" over the Falklands, South Georgia and South Sandwich islands.
Hong Kong comparison
Milei suggested the UK should hand over the Falklands to Argentina in a diplomatic deal like Hong Kong. He said: "In the long term we can get our islands back. The UK did this with Hong Kong, so why not find the agreement so that sooner or later the islands return to Argentina? They're ours."
In 1898, 56 years after Britain took over Hong Kong island, the UK promised to return the land to China in 99 years. The handover was completed in 1997.
Milei cited the Sino-British Joint Declaration treaty, signed in 1984 between China and the UK to prepare for the eventual return. The treaty agreed that Hong Kong would be under the authority of Beijing but enjoy a high level of autonomy for 50 years - until 2047.
Islanders' referendum
The Falkland Islands, however, were uninhabited and unoccupied until they were first claimed by the British in 1765. In 2013, a referendum was held where 99.8% of islanders voted to remain a UK overseas territory.
Milei's Hong Kong comment was made before a fiery TV address on Thursday night, although the interview was not published until after. In the national address, he declared the Falkland Islands as "Argentinean, historically and legally".
Milei told El Observador radio: "The Falklands are Argentinean. Historically and legally. There can be no argument. They are part of the Argentine territory. The islanders on their usurped territory do not have a legitimate right to self-determination and any argument on any such self-determination is invalid."
Oil sanctions threat
Milei also said he would introduce sanctions on any oil companies working in the area, adding that the Sea Lion oilfield, owned by an Israeli and a British firm where production is expected to begin in 2028, was a "clear and present danger" to the country's claims.
He said: "If we do not act swiftly in a few months, they will have the material capacity to access the oil that lies underneath our sea. Something that has never happened before."
A No 10 spokeswoman said the UK supports the right of the Falkland Islanders to develop their natural resources for their own economic benefit, and "this is an integral part of their right to self-determination".
US position questioned
Donald Trump, last week, faced questions about the US's ongoing support for the UK's sovereignty over the Falkland Islands. When pressed on his position, the US president told reporters: "I always review every position - that's just one of many."
The US president on Thursday then suggested he would not back the UK in a fight over the territory, pointing to the lack of support for his war in Iran. Asked in an interview if he would "come to the aid" of the UK, the US president told GB News: "Well look, I was there when they had the first war. That was a long time ago and I watched it so carefully, and you comported yourselves very well. You took it back pretty strongly, but it's a long way away. That's a big trip, it's a long way. So, your country's not doing well. Don't forget, you get a big percentage of your oil from the Strait of Hormuz, and you weren't there to help me."
