The Celtic League Call for Recognition of the Cornish as National Minority

The Celtic League at its 2013 Annual General Meeting just concluded in Wales has called on the government of the United Kingdom to recognise the Celtic nation of Cornwall under the "Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities".  The quote from the Celtic League's web site is as follows:

This Annual General meeting reiterates it's call on the British Government for the  European Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities to be applied to the Cornish people.

The Framework came into effect in 1998 and was adopted by the United Kingdom at that time.  In 1999 the British Government issued the "UK Report on the Council of Europe Framework Convention For the Protection of National Minorities."  This document was intended to clarify the actions taken by Her Majesty's Government "..in order to fulfil its obligations under the Council of Europe Framework Convention."  This document is a hard read for Cornish Nationalists.  "Article 3"  takes pains to explicitly define the official "ethnic minorities" recognised by the United Kingdom. The Cornish are excluded.  Section #47 of this document  states: "Case law has determined that the Scots, Irish and Welsh, who originate from what were formerly independent nations, are defined as a racial group by virtue of their national origins.  We have, therefore, included in this Report details of the measures taken to maintain and develop the language and culture of these communities."

This is followed by section #48 which addresses Cornwall:

The Government has received representation from a number of individuals from Cornwall, including MPs and MEPs seeking recognition of the Cornish as a national minority under the Convention.  The Minister responsible for Race Relations...has also met with an MP and an academic from Cornwall to discuss these concerns.  We maintain the view that we do not consider that the people of Cornwall constitute a 'national minority'.  We are not aware of any rights granted under the Convention which are being denied to any individual in Cornwall.

http://www.celticleague.net