David Cameron vows to protect sovereignty of Falkland Islands

The Prime Minister was speaking after Argentina’s President - Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner – said the country would make a formal complaint to the United Nations over the disputed archipelago.

Buenos Aires has revived its long-standing claim to sovereignty over the islands, which Argentina knows as Las Malvinas.

It comes as the 30th anniversary of the 1982 war between the countries approaches.

Mr Cameron said he had no doubt that the UN would back the islands’ status as a self-governing British overseas territory.

“I think Argentina will find, when she goes to the United Nations, that it is absolutely a part of the UN charter to support self-determination and the people of the Falkland Islands want to maintain their status, their connection to the UK,” the Prime Minister told reporters.

“What we’ve said is absolutely clear and right under the UN, which is to say that as long as the people of the Falkland Islands want to maintain that status, we will make sure they do and we will defend the Falkland Islands properly to make sure that’s the case.”

Mr Cameron said the UK Government’s stance “should not leave anyone in any doubt about our support” for the Falklanders.

Ms Kirchner used a speech to Falklands War veterans on Tuesday to accuse Britain of “militarising” the south Atlantic.

She cited the recent posting of the Duke of Cambridge to the Falklands as an RAF search and rescue helicopter pilot, along with the announcement that the modern warship HMS Dauntless is to be sent to the region to replace the frigate HMS Montrose.

Ms Kirchner said it was difficult to see how “the sending of an immense and modern destroyer accompanied by the royal heir, who we would have liked to see in civilian clothes and not in military uniform” was not a show of purposeful military strength by the UK.

She said: “I have instructed our chancellor to present formally to the Security Council of the United Nations and before the General Assembly of the United Nations this militarisation of the south Atlantic which implies a great risk for international security.”

Downing Street yesterday said it was a matter for Argentina what issues it wishes to raise at the UN.

A spokeswoman said: “The people of the Falklands choose to be British. Their right to self-determination is a principle enshrined in the UN charter.

“The Falklands are already discussed by a UN committee and it is up to the Argentines to decide whether they are going to raise it at the UN.

“The fact is that one of the key principles of the UN charter is self-determination and that is what we are talking about in relation to the Falkland Islands.”