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British parliamentary panel says Falklands claims murky
A British parliamentary committee said Wednesday it was impossible to say whether Britain or Argentina had the greater legal claim to the disputed Falkland Islands. But in the conclusions to a report on the South Atlantic islands, it added that Argentina had prejudiced its claim by resorting to invasion in 1982.
The report from the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee looked certain to embarrass the government of Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, political sources said. It not only casts doubt on Britain's claim to the islands, it also criticizes the government for failing to create a viable economy for the 1,800 islanders since British troops ousted the Argentine invaders in June 1982.
