It's Groundhog Day: Gordon Brown says UK is prepared in Falkland Islands!

The UK has made "all the preparations that are necessary" to protect the Falkland Islands, Prime Minister Gordon Brown has said.

However, the Ministry of Defence has denied reports that a naval taskforce is on its way to the Falklands.

Argentina has brought in controls on ships passing through its waters to the islands over UK plans to drill for oil.

Shadow foreign secretary William Hague told the BBC the Royal Navy's presence in the region should be increased.

The Sun [tabloid] newspaper reported that up to three ships were to join the islands' regular patrol vessel.

BBC defence correspondent Caroline Wyatt understands the destroyer HMS York and the oil supply tanker RFA Wave Ruler are in the area, as well as HMS Clyde, which is permanently based there.

However, the MoD said Britain already had a permanent naval presence in the South Atlantic as well as more than 1,000 military personnel on the islands.

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The long-awaited reply came later:
Queen of England, the empires are over!
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8529969.stm

Moreover, Argentina rallies regional support over Falklands

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8529605.stm?ls


Latin American and Caribbean leaders have backed Argentina's claim over the Falklands, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner has said.

At a regional summit in Cancun, Mexico, a document has reportedly been drafted giving Argentina unanimous support.

It comes a day after a British oil company began drilling for oil off the islands, a move Argentina objected to.

The UK's defence minister said the government would take whatever steps necessary to protect the Falklands.

Argentina and Britain went to war over the South Atlantic islands in 1982, after Buenos Aires invaded the archipelago.

The conflict ended with UK forces wresting back control of the islands, held by Britain since 1833.