World Cup: Argentina's Falklands banner
After their 2:1 victory over England in the World Cup semi-finals, Argentinian players brandished a banner on which was written in Spanish "The Falklands are Argentine" – a direct violation of the ban on political statements in the tournament. The incident has put the territorial dispute over the archipelago off the Patagonian coast in the South Atlantic, which belongs to the UK, back in the media spotlight.
Archipelago cannot remain British forever
The Guardian, however, hopes that the incident will actually start the ball rolling at last:
“The reality is that these colonies will sooner or later inevitably become part of their continents. They cannot indefinitely be protected by a European patron, and Argentina's claims are not going away. ... As it is, the Falklands must continue its existence frozen as an isolated military fortress on the far side of a world from its generous protector, Britain. But sooner or later, a UK government will have the courage to begin negotiations again. As it is, the Foreign Office and defence ministry merely kick the can down the road.”
It may not stop at slogans
Diena fears that such latent territorial conflicts could spill out beyond the sports stadiums:
“Public opinion polls show unanimously that the overwhelming majority of Argentinians have no doubt that the islands belong to them. ... Since disputes over individual overseas territories are currently limited to confrontational remarks or heated debates at sporting events, they are not regarded as genuine causes of conflict. But the more unstable the global geopolitical situation becomes, the greater the likelihood that sooner or later the desire will manifest itself to resolve these disputes by military means.”
How to lose all sympathy
The British will be cheering for Spain in the World Cup final, The Times observes:
“The Falklands Islands is a British overseas territory, with 99.8 per cent of voters choosing to remain such in a 2013 referendum. The last time Argentina tried to override the Falklanders' wishes, in 1982, it did not end well for its armed forces or government. And the British victory then was rather more conclusive than a narrow 2-1 win. Evidently, this still rankles. Given the behaviour of many Argentina players and fans, for England supporters to shrug and wish both finalists all the best would be bizarre and masochistic. ... buena suerte, Spain.”