Falklands zone extended

CROWN sovereignty and jurisdiction is to be extended by proclamation from 12 miles to 200 miles around the British dependent territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands in the south Atlantic today, writes Anthony Bevins.

Tristan Garel-Jones, the Foreign Office minister more commonly associated with the Maastricht treaty legislation, said in a written Commons reply last night that the decision had been taken in order to conserve marine resources.

He suggested that Argentina had approved the decision, which will be promulgated by David Tatum, Governor-General for the Falkland Islands, who is also Commissioner for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

On relations with Argentina, Mr Garel-Jones said: 'Since their re-establishment in 1990, our relations with Argentina have progressed to their present excellent state and are now marked by a new openness and growing mutual confidence.'