UK to reinforce military presence in Malvinas Islands

The UK will be reinforcing its military presence in the disputed Malvinas Islands with the coalition government of Prime Minister David Cameron expected to unveil its plan in a special session in the British parliament today.

In statements to the BBC, British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon this morning said London has considered “any future and possible threats” to “modernise” the defences of the South Atlantic territories, adding the government there was “determined” to protect the “right” of islanders to “remain British.”

“We need to modernise our defences there, to guarantee we count with enough troops and that the Islands be defended properly in terms of maritime and air defence,” the British official pointed out as he questioned Argentina’s sovereignty demands over the resource-rich archipelago which he said “has no grounds in international raw.”

“Even though the threat (of invasion) remains, our duty is to protect the islands and particularly the right of islanders to remain British, and they have voted by an overwhelming majority in a recent referendum to continue being British,” Fallon said referring to a 2013 vote when most Malvinas Islands inhabitants ratified their decision to remain an overseas territory of the United Kingdom.

• Queried about recent media reports that alluded to agreements Argentina would have allegedly signed with Russia to boost its military potential in the South Atlantic, Fallon said such information “has not been confirmed” but highlighted the “threat” remained.

“We must respond (to the threat) and this afternoon I will respond in Parliament.”

On Monday, the British tabloid newspaper The Sun claimed that the UK Defence Ministry was requesting more troops to be sent to the disputed Malvinas Islands, due to an alleged threat of an Argentine invasion bankrolled by Russia.
   http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/185138/uk-to-reinforce-military-presence-in-malvinas-islands
24/3/15
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