Letter: Falklands claims

Sir: The letter of the Ambassador of Argentina(18 March) reflects a serious historical amnesia.

The "colonial situation" did not begin in 1832 - when the British took over the Falkland Islands - but in 1516 when the Spanish began colonising Argentina. Modern "South Americans" are not the native population, which by the 19th century had been liquidated, so any talk of "self-determination ... and continued exclusion of the original population" seems rather anachronistic.

The true dimensions of "the problem" are five, not two, centuries of colonialism, none of which conforms to any principles the UN may now hold. Overall, the best solution seems to be the one suggested by Prince Charles: that two democracies have the maturity to recognise that the past is a different country and be prepared to make a better future by living together in peace.

DOMINIC KIRKHAM

Manchester