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UK prepared to protect Falklands, says Gordon Brown

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

London, Feb 18, IRNA -- Britain has made "all the preparations that are necessary" to protect the Falklands, Prime Minister Gordon Brown said Thursday amid a renewed dispute with Argentina over the oil deposits around the South Atlantic Islands.

Brown said he did not expect to send a taskforce to the area, but expressed hope that "sensible discussions" with Argentina would prevail.

"We have made all the preparations that are necessary to make sure the Falkland Islanders are properly protected," he told Real Radio in the north-east of England.

The Sun newspaper reported up to three British ships were to join the islands' regular patrol vessel. The UK already has a permanent naval presence in the South Atlantic as well as more than a thousand military personnel on the islands.

In 1982, Britain went to war with Argentina to maintain its claimed sovereignty over the Falklands, but a renewed dispute has intensified over UK plans to drill for oil and Argentina bringing in controls on ships passing through its waters to the islands.

Argentine deputy foreign minister Victorio Taccetti has pledged that his country would take "adequate measures" to stop oil exploration.

It is estimated that the Falklands may have up to 60bn barrels of oil beneath its sea bed and the high price of oil has made it more attractive to develop the potential.

Speaking on BBC Thursday, the Conservative’s shadow foreign secretary William Hague called for Britain to increase its naval presence around the islands.

"That kind of thing would show very clearly to Argentina - with whom, again, we want friendly relations - that we will be very firm about this. It would send a signal not to misunderstand British intentions,” Hague said.

"One of the things that went wrong in the 1980s is that the Argentines thought we weren't really committed to the Falkland Islands. So, we mustn't make that mistake again. Our commitment should be very clear," he said.

Argentina succeeded in briefly seizing the islands in 1982 before a UK taskforce was sent to take back control in a short war that claimed the lives of 649 Argentine and 255 British soldiers.

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End News / IRNA / News Code 967005