Leaders at EU-CELAC summit
War hero Simon Weston has said Brussels is “kicking Britain in the shins” with its “petty” decision to refer to the Falkland Islands as the “Islas Malvinas”.
The bloc has incurred the wrath of London as a result of the term’s inclusion in the text of a joint declaration during a summit attended by EU leaders and those of Latin America and the Caribbean (CELAC) on Wednesday in Brussels.
Section 13 of the Declaration of the EU-CELAC Summit 2023, refers to “the question of sovereignty over the Islas Malvinas/Falkland Islands”.
Its inclusion was swiftly hailed as a “diplomatic triumph” by Buenos Aires, which has never abandoned its claim on the remote archipelago.
British diplomats subsequently asked European Council president, Charles Michel to “clarify” the bloc’s position - but one unnamed EU official quoted by the Financial Times hit back at the UK, citing Brexit and saying: “If they were in the EU perhaps they would have pushed back against it.”
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Alberto Fernandez flanked by Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen (Image: GETTY)
Mr Weston, 61, told Express.co.uk: “This is going to ramp up the cabal of nations that have got together to try and destabilise the security of the island, the security of the people who live there.
“It’s a kick in the teeth for them. We must maintain their right to choose whose laws they live under, whose sovereignty they live with.
“And it's nothing to do with me or anybody else who fought there, anybody else who got hurt or died.
“It's everything to do with the people who live there in their own democracy.”
Falklands veteran Simon Weston in Stanley, capital of the Falklands (Image: PA)
With respect to the bloc’s stance, Mr Weston was also sceptical about whether the UK could have prevented the controversial declaration even if it had still been a member.
He explained: “It seems to be that as long as you do as the EU says they'll support you, that seems to be the way that Europe is treating this.
“Would we have been able to stop it from happening had we been there? Possibly not.”
He continued: “It doesn't surprise me, all this - Europe has been so petty over so many things.
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European Council President Charles Michel yesterday (Image: GETTY)
“I'm disappointed, of course I am, because of islanders are the ones who will be hurt by this more than anybody.
“I’ve got no particular right to be hurt - all I did was be a part of the task force.
“As far as I'm concerned, the island’s security is more important than anything else.
“And Europe clearly is not showing any regard for the islanders at all.”
Falklands factfile (Image: Express)
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Mr Weston was seriously injured, sustaining burns to 46 percent of his body, when RFA Sir Galahad was bombed on June 8, 1982 as he and other Welsh Guardsman were preparing to disembark in Bluff Cove, a settlement in East Falkland.
In total, 48 men were killed.
After enduring years of reconstructive surgery, the 61-year-old is now well known for his charity work and has returned to the Falklands on numerous occasions, most recently last year.
Almost 1,000 British and Argentinian servicemen died during the three-month conflict, which was triggered by an invasion ordered by former leader General Leopoldo Galtieri on April 2.
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