The Government of Argentina condemned the decision of Great Britain to deploy one of its most powerful and modern warships, the destroyer HMS Dauntless, to the Malvinas Islands (also known as Falkland Islands). The action was considered an attempt to try to militarize the conflict in the region.

Buenos Aires called on London to use diplomacy and not weapons to achieve a solution over disputes regarding sovereignty in the area.

“International organizations and democratic countries have to work day after day to prevent armed conflicts and replace them with civilized negotiations for the solution of conflicts”, read an official statement issued by the Argentine Foreign Affairs Ministry.

The document also highlighted that the United Kingdom, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, has continuously rejected any resolution by the UN to solve this conflict in a negotiated manner, which increases “the risk of war”.

Furthermore, the official statement, in reference to the visit of Prince William to the disputed territory, read: “The Argentine people regret that the royal heir of Britain is coming here wearing the uniform of the conqueror and not with the wisdom of a statesman who works in the service of peace and dialogue between nations”.

The Malvinas Islands are 480 kms away from Argentina’s coast and over 12,000 kms away from London. The Islands have been occupied by Great Britain since 1883 and the dispute for the sovereignty in the area was cause for an armed conflict between the two countries in 1982.