Argentina leader discusses Falkland Islands dispute with UN chief

President Alberto Fernandez meets with Antonio Guterres in New York and calls for fresh talks with UK to end their dispute over the South Atlantic archipelago that Buenos Aires calls Malvinas Islands.

Fernandez [L] tells Guterres Argentina is experiencing its worst drought in 60 years, impacting 173 million hectares of land.

Fernandez [L] tells Guterres Argentina is experiencing its worst drought in 60 years, impacting 173 million hectares of land.

Argentina has pushed for renewed negotiations over the disputed Falkland Islands during the meeting of the South American country's President Alberto Fernandez with the United Nations General Secretary Antonio Guterres in New York. 

At the UN headquarters on Tuesday, Fernandez called for efforts "to resume negotiations in order to find a peaceful solution to the sovereignty dispute over Malvinas Islands as soon as possible," according to a statement from the president's office.

Earlier this month, Argentina walked away from the controversial Foradori-Duncan pact with the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands that Argentina says were illegally taken from the South American nation some 190 years ago. 

Buenos Aires demanded new talks with London to renegotiate the sovereignty of the South Atlantic archipelago.

Argentina says the Falklands were illegally taken from it in 1833 and sent troops to the British overseas colony in 1982.

London dispatched its military and Buenos Aires lost the two-month war that claimed the lives of 649 Argentines and 255 British soldiers.

London says the Falklands are a self-governing entity under its protection. The islands are located in the South Atlantic about 600 kilometres from the Argentine mainland and some 12,985 kilometres from the UK.

A 2013 referendum on the islands resulted in a 99.8 percent vote to remain British.

READ MORE: Argentines hail govt for scrapping Foradori-Duncan pact on Falkland Islands

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Falkland Islands are located about 600 kilometres from Argentina mainland and some 12,985 kilometres from the UK.

Climate crisis, debt impact

During the meeting at the UN, Guterres and Fernandez also discussed the impact of the climate crisis, with Fernandez underscoring how Argentina is experiencing its worst drought in 60 years, impacting 173 million hectares of land.

Fernandez also raised the need to reconsider the global financial architecture, arguing high levels of debt impact the growth and development possibilities of countries.

"Today the world allocates more and more money for weapons, instead of investing in the 2030 agenda and in the rising impact of food and energy prices," state news-agency Telam cited Fernandez as saying. 

Fernandez also took aim at the "right-wing" across the world, who he argued, "ignore and sometimes directly attack the principles of the SDGs [Sustainable Development Goals], promoting uneven, individualistic societies, with a logic where profitability prevails over the well-being of people and care for the environment."

Fernandez is in the United States to hold bilateral meeting with the US President Joe Biden on Wednesday and is accompanied by the first lady Fabiola Yanez and the Foreign Minister Santiago Cafiero among others.

READ MORE: Argentina withdraws from Falkland Islands pact with UK

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