Argentina has lashed out at Lord David Cameron over the Foreign Secretary’s visit to the Falkland Islands.
The former Prime Minister touched down in Port Stanley on Monday ahead of a wider tour covering Paraguay, Brazil and New York.
He used the visit to pay his respects to all those British personnel who served in the 74-day conflict.
The war claimed the lives of 255 British servicemen, three islanders and 649 Argentine personnel.
Argentinians have long harboured ambitions to reclaim the Falkland Islands
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However, Lord Cameron’s visit sparked a furious response from an Argentinian Governor.
Gustavo Melella said: “We will not stand for it. The presence of David Cameron on our Malvinas Islands constitutes a new British provocation and seeks to diminish our legitimate sovereignty claims over our territories and maintain colonialism in the 21st century.”
Lord Cameron’s visit saw the Foreign Secretary meet leaders of the Falkland Islands Government and a range of community groups.
During his visit, Cameron said: “The Falkland Islands are a valued part of the British family, and we are clear that as long as they want to remain part of the family, the issue of sovereignty will not be up for discussion.
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The Falklands Islands will always be defended by Britain, David Cameron has saidPA“The Falkland Islanders should be proud of the modern, prosperous community they have built.
“The islands are a thriving economy, where as well as farming and fishing, there is a priority given to conservation and sustainability.”
Britain has been forced to counter several recent attacks from Buenos Aires over the Falklands.
Firebrand Libertarian Javier Milei, who won a resounding victory in Argentina’s recent election, said sovereignty over the Falklands was “non-negotiable”.
President Javier Milei campaigned on restoring Argentinian sovereignty to the Falklands REUTERS
He added: “We have to make every effort to recover the islands through diplomatic channels.”
Argentina claims sovereignty of the Falklands by suggesting it was territory inherited following independence in 1816.
However, the British claim dates back to 1690 when they made the first recorded landing on the islands.
Despite Buenos Aires' unwavering commitment to taking the Falklands, a referendum held in 2013 revealed more than 99 per cent of residents want to remain part of the UK.