Falklands moves 'entirely routine', says William Hague

Deployments of a warship and Prince William to the Falkland Islands are "entirely routine", the Foreign Secretary said today.

William Hague told the Sky News Murnaghan programme that commemorations would go ahead to mark the 30-year anniversary of the Falklands conflict.

But he said Britain supported the islanders' self-determination and would seek to prevent Argentina from "raising the diplomatic temperature" on the issue.

Mr Hague said: "(The events) are not so much celebrations as commemorations.

"I think Argentina will also be holding commemorations of those who died in the conflict.

"Since both countries will be doing that I don't think there is anything provocative about that.

"Nor is there anything provocative about entirely routine military movements.

"They are entirely routine - of course our ships regularly visit the South Atlantic. We don't normally make any comment on the deployment of our nuclear submarines.

"But our Naval vessels regularly visit the South Atlantic.

"Prince William is on a routine deployment that is part of his job.

"We will resist the diplomatic efforts of Argentina to raise the temperature on this and when I was in the Caribbean a couple of weeks ago, the Caribbean nations agreed to support a self-determination of the Falkland islanders which is what we believe in.

"We will put the case for that around the world, including for Latin American and Caribbean nations whenever we get the opportunity."

PA