Argentina's defence minister has heated up the rhetoric over the Falkland Islands by warning that if
Arturo Puricelli accused Britain of trying to provoke Argentina into turning a diplomatic conflict into an armed conflict.
He said that Argentina will "put up with" British armed forces in the Falklands.
"But if they reach our continental territory we will exercise our legitimate right of defence and we have the resources and the skills to do so," he warned.
Mr Puricelli told reporters in Buenos Aires that Britain "is hoping Argentina will fall in the temptation of taking arms".
But, despite his defiant words, he added that the Argentine government's strategy regarding the Falklands "will always be to go through diplomatic channels".
Speaking just a day after President Cristina Kirchner said she would complain to the UN over Britain's "militarisation" of the islands, Mr Puricelli continued: "We will not give in to any provocation like the one the English are expecting, because we believe in conflict resolution through diplomatic channels, which has caught them off guard.
"They want to destabilise us and see if we fall into the temptation of taking this conflict to an armed territory. Rest assured we will not do that."
Yesterday a Downing Street spokesman said there would be no further negotiation on the Falklands and its decision to send the warship HMS Dauntless - as well as deploying the Duke of Cambridge - to the islands was entirely routine.
"We are not militarising the South Atlantic. Our defensive posture in the Falkland Islands remains unchanged," the spokesman said.
"The people of the Falklands choose to be British. Their right to self determination is a principle that's enshrined in the UN charter."
Tensions between Britain and Argentina have risen ahead of the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War.
The Argentine government has recently named the upcoming football season in honour of the Belgrano, a naval ship sunk by British forces in the conflict.
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