Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay will no longer permit ships carrying the Falklands flag to dock in their ports, a move supporting the claim of Buenos Aires to the self-governing British overseas territory.

Uruguayan President Jose Mujica announced the port ban Tuesday after a summit of the leaders of the Mercosur, a trade group composed of the said countries.

In her speech during the summit, Argentine President Cristina Kirchner de Fernandez thanked her fellow presidents for the show of support for Buenos Aires' claim to the archipelago, which lies 741 kilometres from the Argentine coast.

"This support is not only for Argentina, but in self-defence because they are taking away the mineral and oil resources and when they'll need more they are going to look for them anywhere," Fernandez said, according to Mercopress.com.

The British oil explorer Rockhopper Exploration will start oil production in the region in 2016.

The Falkland Islands legislature called the decision a bullying tactic of Argentina, which is claiming sovereignty over the islands it calls Malvinas and figured in a brief war with Britain over the territory in 1982.

"We are resourceful people, and we will not bow to Argentina in their attempts to undermine our home and way of life," declared MP Jan Cheek on the website of the Falkland Islands government. "We would remind the countries of South America of the long and mutually beneficial trade relationship we share with countries in the region, and encourage them to respect us as the valuable and reliable regional partner we have strived to be."

There are 25 fishing vessels flying the Falkland Islands flag to be affected by the port ban.

The Falklands Chamber of Commerce described the Mercosur move as a blockade.

In Britain, Tory MP Patrick Mercer called the ban "needlessly provocative," according to BBC.

Meanwhile, the Britain's Foreign Office summoned the Uruguayan ambassador in London after Montevideo announced last week that it will ban Falklands-flagged ships from calling its ports.

, though Uruguay will still allow British-flagged civilian ships delivering supplies to the islands.

There are about 2,500 British subjects living in the Falkland Islands. Britain has claimed the islands since 1833 and repulsed an invasion by Argentinian forces in 1982.

The Falkland Islands east of Argentina.