Prince Williams Posting To Falklands Defended

First Published: November 13, 2011 12:22 PM EST Credit: Getty Images LONDON, U.K. -- Caption Prince William waves to the crowd as he arrives with Prince Harry for the Royal Wedding of Prince William to Catherine Middleton at Westminster Abbey in London on April 29, 2011 British officials have defended the deployment of Prince William to the Falkland Islands, after Argentina reportedly condemned the move as a provocative act. Both countries fought a brief war in 1982 over the islands, which are 290 miles (460 kilometers) east of Argentinas coast. David Richards, the chief of Britains armed forces, said Sunday the decision to deploy the prince next year the 30th anniversary of the Falklands War as an air force search and rescue pilot wasnt and isnt designed to be provocative. Officials announced Wednesday that William will spend six weeks in February and March at the British outpost. It was condemned by an Argentine official, Sebastian Brugo Marco, in the paper La Nacion. Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.