on policies, control our finances and determine our future. No one else decides for us. We live in a democratic society, free to choose our a.,n elected Government JB/8 A/AC.1Q9/PV .,1369 14-15 (Mr~· Peckt and free t.o decide our own future. We have for the last 160 years freely chosen to live in our own Islands. My ancest.ors -and I am a fifth-generation Islander - went of their own free will to settle in the islands and make a way of life for themselves and their offspring. Argentina continues to threaten our way of life. We as a people and a country will continue to grow with foreign investment, but that could be inhibited because of the Argentine claim to our Islands. Why, I ask, does the Committee refuse to abide by Article 1 of the Charter of the United Nations? Why does it not reoogni;e our rights? We are a people. We do have a right to decide our future as people and country. The right to self-determination is recognized by the Committee, and we too should therefore have its support. We have always had our own identity, and we wish to retain it. We never have been and never will be a part of Argentina. We have nothing in common with it, either culturally or politically. During the past week, we have seen larger nations violate other countries' sovereign territories. The United Nations has condemned such action, and rightly so. We are a small nation, friendly and hospitable. We enjoy the friendship of other nationalities and they enjoy ours. That was demonstrated very clearly just last week, when I attended at the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association's twentieth regional oonference in Belize. All the Caribbe:in islands of the Commonwealth -with the exception of Trinidad and Tobago -and Belize and Guyana were represented. They all recognized the sovereign rights of the Falkland 
**Analysis**
The text appears to be a speech or statement by a representative of the Falkland Islands, discussing the country's sovereignty and relationship with Argentina. The speaker emphasizes the Falkland Islands' right to self-determination and their desire to maintain their independence. The text also touches on the impact of the Argentine claim to the Falkland Islands on foreign investment and the country's future. While some economic and trade issues are mentioned, the primary focus is on the political and territorial dispute between the Falkland Islands and Argentina.

**Category**
International trade, Culture