Blair and Argentina on the Falklands

The British Prime Minister, Tony Blair -- in a broadcast to the Falkland Islands -- has given an assurance that he is committed to protecting the right of the islanders to choose their own way of life.

He also said he'd invited the Argentine President, Carlos Menem, to visit Britain later in the year because he wanted to improve relations with Argentina.

The two countries went to war over the Falkland Islands in 1982.

Meanwhile, the Argentine Foreign Ministry said it was determined to regain the Islands through negotiations with Britain and was committed to respecting the way of life of the islanders.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service