The Sovereignty Dispute over the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands

The complex question of sovereignty over the Falkland Islands remains far from resolution. This broad and dispassionate study of the causes of the war between the UK and Argentina in 1982 - the first scholarly work of its kind - addresses the larger issues raised and untangles a web of events and attitudes stretching back over the past century. The book begins with a close evaluation of the two pivotal arguments: Argentina's stance that international law supports their historical right to the islands, and Britain's position that the length of their occupation, together with the principle of self-determination, legalizes their de facto control. It then discusses how potential offshore oil reserves, diplomacy, domestic politics, and the use of force have entered into the dispute, and, finally, analyses the effects of war on international relations and considers possible future approaches to handling the dispute.