Déclarations

Articles: 13

(Translation)
The Republic of Argentina objects to the extension of the application of the Convention abolishing the requirement of legalisation for foreign public documents concluded at The Hague on 5 October 1961 to the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands, South Georgia and South Sandwich, as notified by the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands on 24 February 1965, and reaffirms its rights of sovereignty over the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia and South Sandwich, which form an integral part of its national territory. The United Nations General Assembly adopted resolutions 2065 (XX), 3160 (XXVIII), 31/49, 37/9, 38/12, 39/6, 40/21 and 41/40 recognising the existence of a dispute concerning sovereignty in respect of the Malvinas, and urging the Republic of Argentina and the United Kingdom to continue negotiations in order to find as soon as possible a peaceful and definitive solution to the dispute, through the good offices of the Secretary General of the United Nations, who would report to the General Assembly on progress made.

The Republic of Argentina also objects to the extension of the application of the Convention to the so-called "British Antarctic Territory", lodged on the same date, while reaffirming the rights of the Republic to the Argentine Antarctic Sector, including those relating to its corresponding maritime sovereignty or jurisdiction. Furthermore, it would refer to the assurances concerning claims to territorial sovereignty in Antarctica laid down in Article IV of the Antarctic Treaty, signed in Washington on 1 December 1959, to which the Republic of Argentina and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland are parties.

Referring to the above declaration, the Government of the Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland communicated the following on 27 August 1987:

"The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland cannot accept the declaration made by the Argentine Republic as regards the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have no doubt as to United Kingdom sovereignty over the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and, accordingly, their right to extend the application of the Convention to the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland also cannot accept the declaration made by the Argentine Republic as regards the British Antartic Territory. The Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland have no doubt as to the sovereignty of the United Kingdom over the British Antarctic Territory and, accordingly, their right to extend the application of the Convention to the British Antarctic Territory. The Government of the United Kingdom draw attention to Article IV of the Antarctic Treaty, to which the Governments of the United Kingdom and Argentina are parties. Article IV freezes claims to Antarctic territory South of 60 degrees South latitude."