16 Feb 2012

Visit by UK MPs to Falklands condemned

1:58 pm on 16 February 2012

Argentina has condemned a forthcoming visit to the Falkland Islands by British MPs in March as another sign of "militarisation" of the South Atlantic.

Plans for a visit by members of the Commons Defence Select Committee emerged on Tuesday. The last visit by the committee was in 1999.

The BBC reports tension over the islands, which Argentina claims as the Malvinas, has been rising in the run-up to the 30th anniversary of the Falklands war.

Britain has rejected Argentina's calls for talks on the sovereignty of the islands.

Both nations will mark the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War on 2 April.

HMS Dauntless is due to arrive in Falklands' waters next month on what the government says is a routine deployment.

Prince William is currently on a tour of duty there as an RAF helicopter rescue pilot.