UK Foreign Secretary William Hague said that it is important to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Falkland Islands conflict, but aside from some sabre rattling from Argentina, the rest of Latin America is interested in trade and development.

“What they are interested in is expanding trade, and building up their economies for the huge numbers of people in their countries who want opportunity. Brazil is very focused, for instance, on improving educational links with the UK”, said Hague.

“These are the sort of thing they are interested in, not the Falkland Islands” underlined the Foreign Secretary who this week is scheduled to visit Brazil, the first in six years.

And although there are no plans to upgrade the defence of the Islands to coincide with the anniversary, “the Falkland Islands are well protected, in any case. And they will always remain so”.

Hague pointed out that the recently refurbished airport (MPA) in the Falkland Islands does mean, “of course, that the Falkland Islands can be heavily reinforced at short notice, which was not the case at the time of the war in 1982.”

Although admitting that across Latin America there will be quite a few differences of opinion with the UK over the Falkland Islands, “I don’t get the sense that those countries other than Argentina want to press that”.

The Duke of Cambridge’s posting to the Falklands next month, where he will spend six weeks working as a search and rescue pilot, has raised objections in Buenos Aires, with the Argentine official with responsibility for the South Atlantic territory calling it “a provocative act”.

But Foreign Secretary Hague firmly rejects accusations of provocation.

“This is a normal part of the duties of His Royal Highness,” he says. “This is what he does, this is his job. And it is part of the normal duties within the armed forces – to serve in the Falkland Islands”.

Therefore “I see no reason why we should feel that he shouldn’t take part in his normal duties in one of our overseas territories”