Falkland Islanders will be asked specifically whether they want the archipelago to retain it status as a British overseas territory in a referendum on March 10 and 11, its government announced.
Confirming the date and the final wording of the question, the referendum is intended at sending Argentina an unambiguous verdict from the 3,000-odd islanders, amid tension between London and Buenos Aires over sovereignty.
Britain has held the South Atlantic Ocean islands since 1833 but Buenos Aires claims they are occupied Argentinian territory.
“The result will demonstrate in a clear, democratic and incontestable way how the people of the Falkland Islands wish to live their lives,” the islands’ government said in a statement.
“To that end, the Falkland Islands government has consulted widely to identify a credible, international and independent observer mission to observe the referendum in order to clearly demonstrate that it has been held freely and fairly.”
The referendum question will read: “Do you wish the Falkland Islands to retain their current political status as an overseas territory of the United Kingdom?