Argentina Rejects UK's Military Actions in the Malvinas Islands

Argentina's Foreign Affairs Minister Felipe Sola Thursday rejected the British military maneuvers in the Malvinas Islands, a territory usurped from the South American country in 1833 which is still in dispute.

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"Argentina's government strongly repudiates military maneuvers in our illegitimately occupied territory. It is an unjustified show of force," Sola said.

The patrol ship HMS Forth, the British Infantry Company A, the A400M aircraft, and the Royal Air Force's Typhoon 1435 Flight are part of the military deployment.

"The international community also rejects the military presence in the South Atlantic. The maneuvers are contrary to the region's policy, which calls for peaceful solutions to the sovereignty dispute," he added.

Argentina's government urged London not to continue deploying military force in the Malvinas Islands and to resume diplomatic negotiations for this territory's sovereignty.

Since the 19th century, Argentina and the U.K. have maintained a dispute over the islands' jurisdiction. In 1982, both countries clashed in a war that lasted 74 days.  

In the conflict, which confronted President Leopoldo Galtieri with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, 649 Argentines and 255 British soldiers died.