The Foreign Office has hit out at Argentina following the decision on Tuesday by Argentinia, Uruguay, Paraguay and Brazil (a South American trading bloc) to ban boats with a Falkland Islands flag from their ports. British diplomats warned, ‘Britain's determination to protect the overseas territory should not be underestimated.’ Urgent discussions are being carried out with countries in the region to establish what concrete effect the ban would have. But tensions have been raised by this symbolic rebuke to Britain. An agreement circulated by the Argentine foreign ministry stated the four countries vowed ‘to adopt all the measures it is possible to impose to impede the entry of boats flying the illegal flag of the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands.’ José Mujica, Uruguay's president said, ‘We hold nothing against the U.K. but we have a lot in favour of Argentina.’

Pray: that this disagreement will not escalate, for wise advice to be given and adhered to, and for sailors and merchants to continue unhindered. (Pr.12:15)

More: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/dec/21/falklands-boat-ban-row-argentina