US calls at the UN for an end to the Decolonisation Committee, key to Argentina’s claim
The United States has called at the UN for an end to the mandate of the Special Committee on Decolonisation, the body before which Argentina presents its sovereignty claim over the Falklands every year, and described some of its activities as “a waste of resources”, according to the official summary of the General Assembly Fourth Committee session held on October 15.
The United States has urged the United Nations to terminate the mandate of the Special Committee on Decolonisation, a body that Argentina utilizes to present its claim over the Falkland Islands annually. The committee's activities were labeled by the United States as "a waste of resources" during a session of the General Assembly's Fourth Committee on October 15, according to an official summary.
Despite this, the committee passed more than 20 draft resolutions, many of which were suggested by the Special Committee itself. The United States has not proposed the dissolution of the committee, which requires approval from the General Assembly without a veto and with the support of a significant number of states. Established in 1961, the committee reviews the situation of 17 non-self-governing territories, ten of which are under British administration, including the Falkland Islands.
Argentine officials, including the current foreign minister, have attended the committee's June sessions to advocate for the resumption of sovereignty negotiations. The current Argentine representative, Pablo Quirno, did so on June 25. The United Kingdom asserts that the islanders have the right to self-determination and that a 2013 referendum indicated their desire to remain as a British overseas territory.
The Argentine government has not commented on the US stance, which diverges from the strong bond between Milei and former US President Donald Trump. Argentina opted to abstain on a Russian-backed resolution on contemporary colonialism at the same session. During President Milei's visit to Buenos Aires earlier this week, the issue could potentially be addressed by Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs Juan Pablo Segura.
In September, Milei referred to the islands dispute as "a national cause" and urged the General Assembly's Resolution 31/49 to have consequences for parties planning unilateral changes.
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