BRITAIN has rejected claims by Argentina that it is militarising the South Atlantic after President Cristina Kirchner said she would complain to the UN over the disputed Falkland Islands.
Prime Minister David Cameron's spokeswoman said Britain's defences remained unchanged in the region, despite a spike in tensions ahead of the 30th anniversary of a war fought by the two countries over the archipelago.
"We are not militarising the South Atlantic. Our defensive posture in the South Atlantic remains the same," the Downing Street spokeswoman said.
"There is no suggestion that we need to increase our military presence, nor to increase our military assets in the Falkland Islands. We have already got quite a range of assets in the Falkland Islands."
Mr Cameron's spokeswoman also said the UN charter backed its case for control of the islands, which have been controlled by Britain since 1833.
"The people of the Falklands choose to be British. Their right to self-determination is a principle that is enshrined in the UN charter," the spokeswoman said.
Ms Kirchner said yeterday that Argentina would lodge a formal complaint with the United Nations, saying that British "militarisation poses a grave danger to international security".
Argentina has in recent weeks denounced the deployment of a British warship to the South Atlantic and the dispatch of Prince William, second in line to the throne, for a tour of duty as a search and rescue helicopter pilot.
Britain says the warship - although one of the most modern in its fleet - is replacing one that was already in the region and that William's deployment was a routine part of his job in the Royal Air Force.
London has refused to comment on reports that it has deployed a nuclear submarine to the region.
Mr Cameron's spokeswoman admitted that Britain had "contingency plans" for the Falklands but said they had "always" been in place.
Britain's Foreign Office said that the Falklands were discussed annually by a UN decolonisation committee and that it was for Argentina to bring up the issue at the UN Security Council or General Assembly if it wanted.
But it ruled out any talks, saying: "There will be no negotiations with Argentina on sovereignty unless the islanders wish it."
Britain is a permanent member of the UN Security Council and could automatically veto any attempt at a resolution on the issue.
Dick Sawle, a member of the legislature of the Falkland Islands, said he welcomed Argentina's plan to protest to the UN.
"The reason why I welcome that is that the United Nations ought to look at the decisions it has made in the past" which favour self-determination, he told BBC Radio.
Mr Sawle said that Falkland Islanders "do not wish to be taken over in any way, shape or form by Argentina, that is absolutely fundamental".
He said: "I do think that the British government is absolutely right to back that fundamental right that we have to self determination, and this is the cornerstone of the UN of course."
The Falklands War broke out on April 2, 1982, when the then ruling military junta in Buenos Aires invaded in a bid to end British rule and London sent a task force to the region.
The 74-day war cost the lives of 649 Argentine and 255 British troops and three Falkland Islanders, but Britain retained control.
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