Britain's Prince William lands on Falkland Islands, amid tensions

Feb 2, 2012, 18:14 GMT

London - Britain's Prince William arrived on the Falkland Islands Thursday for a six-week military deployment as tensions rose with former-foe Argentina over the islands' sovereignty.

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) in London confirmed the prince's arrival for what it called a 'routine operational deployment' in his role as a search and rescue helicopter pilot for the Royal Air Force (RAF).

'MOD can confirm Flight Lieutenant Wales, as part of a 4 man Search and Rescue (SAR) crew, has arrived in the Falkland Islands on a routine operational deployment and will shortly take up SAR duties post a period of briefings and a familiarisation flight,' said a statement.

The prince, 29, would be deployed 'purely in an RAF role and will not be completing any ceremonial roles,' it added.

William, who married the former Kate Middleton in London last year, holds the title Duke of Cambridge.

On the eve of his departure - which brings the first lengthy separation for the couple - it was announced that they had acquired a cocker spaniel puppy to keep Kate - now the Duchess of Cambridge - company.

Tension between Britain and Argentina has been rising recently in the run-up to the 30th anniversary of the 1982 Falklands conflict between the two countries, in which 649 Argentinians and 255 Britons died.

William's deployment has already been condemned as a 'provocation' by the Argentinian government. The Foreign Ministry in Buenos Aires said that William would be wearing the 'uniform of a conqueror' when he arrived in the Falklands.

On Tuesday, the British government said it would deploy one of the Royal Navy's most advanced warships, HMS Dauntless, off the coast of the Falklands shortly.

The Guardian newspaper reported Thursday that British diplomats accused Argentina of plotting an 'economic blockade' against the disputed islands - called Las Malvinas by Buenos Aires - by halting a weekly flight link to the islands.

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