The Grendel Report: 'The white smoke over the Falklands was pretty clear': David Cameron REBUKES new Pope over Argentina's claim to islands

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'The white smoke over the Falklands was pretty clear': David Cameron REBUKES new Pope over Argentina's claim to islands

Cameron urged world leaders to respect the 99.8 percent vote
But Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner describes voters as 'squatters'
Previously said the islands were 'Argentinian soil' 'usurped' by Britain
Kirchner has already asked the Pope to take a message to world powers

By Jill Reilly

PUBLISHED:10:46 EST, 15 March 2013| UPDATED:14:32 EST, 15 March 2013

Prime Minister David Cameron today said he disagreed with the new pope, Francis I, over the future of the Falkland Islands.

Pope Francis, who is the first Argentinian pontiff and a former Archbishop of Buenos Aires, has previously described the disputed islands as 'Argentinian soil' which was 'usurped' by Britain.

But Mr Cameron today urged all world leaders, including the pope, to respect the overwhelming 99.8 percent vote in this week's Falklands referendum in favour of remaining a British Overseas Territory.

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British Prime Minister David Cameron gestures while speaking during a media conference at an EU summit in Brussels

Vocal: Prime Minister David Cameron, pictured right today at a press conference in Brussels, today said he disagreed with the new pope, Francis I, pictured left at a Mass this morning, over the Falkland Islands

In a reference to the method used by the Vatican to announce a decision on the identity of the new pope, he said: 'The white smoke over the Falklands was pretty clear.'

All but three of the island's 1,517 inhabitants who took part in the referendum voted to remain an overseas territory of the United Kingdom.

Despite Cameron urging Argentina to respect the vote, the results were met with a ferocious response by Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner as she described those who voted as being akin to a 'consortium of squatters.'

New role: Pope Francis prepares to greet cardinals, moments before stumbling in Sala Clementina, at the Vatican today

New role: Pope Francis prepares to greet cardinals - but it's his comments that the Falklands are 'Argentinian soil usurped by the British' which have garnered as much attention by the British government

he newly appointed Pope Francis stumbled after being introduced to the College of Cardinals, but did not fall and quickly recovered

Pope Francis

The newly appointed Pope Francis stumbled after being introduced to the College of Cardinals, and his comments on the Falklands have appeared to have given the bumps to David Cameron

In a telephone call to Gavin Short, chairman of the Falklands Legislative Assembly, the Prime Minister said he was ‘over the moon’ with the result.

‘The Falkland islanders couldn’t have spoken more clearly,’ he said.

‘They want to remain British and that view should be respected by everybody, including by Argentina. It is the clearest possible result there could be.’

Nigel Haywood, governor of the Falkland Islands, said the vote was a ‘massive demonstration of the way the Falkland Islanders feel and of the way they see their future’.

New job: Pope Francis is greeted by Cardinal Timothy Dolan as he meets the Cardinals for the first time

One friend: Pope Francis is greeted by Cardinal Angelo Sodano at a meeting in the Vatican - but British PM David Cameron appears not to have got off on the best footing with the Pontiff

During a Mass on April 2 last year to mark the 30th anniversary of the start of the war, Bergoglio called for the vindication of 'all' of those who fought against the British over the Falklands Islands.

'We come to pray for those who have fallen, sons of the homeland who set out to defend his mother, the homeland, to claim the country that is theirs and they were usurped,' he said.

'Many young people were there and could not return. Others returned but none could forget.

Disagree: The Pope's previous discussions on The Falkland Islands have been met with conservative criticism from Cameron (pictured here with Italian cardinal Angelo Scola today in the Vatican)

'Many scars, many families destroyed by permanent absence or a return cut short. The country needs to remember them all.'

His comments in front of former conscripts and families of the 649 who died were recorded by Buenos Aires news agency Diarias y Noticias and widely reported in Argentina at the time.

Bergoglio added: 'The country cannot exclude from its memory any of those who were called; it has to take care of so many hearts with scars and say thank you, to those who remained on the islands or submerged in water, all of them.

'The country should recognise their scars.'

Pope Francis had previously urged the Argentinian people 'not to forget those who had fallen during the war' as they had 'shed their blood on Argentine soil'.

His comments a year ago have resurfaced at a poignant time, just a day after the population of the Falkland Islands voted overwhelmingly in favour of remaining a UK Overseas Territory.

Asked at a press conference in Brussels whether he agreed with Francis on the issue of the Falklands, Mr Cameron said: 'I don't agree with him - respectfully, obviously.

'There was a pretty extraordinarily clear referendum in the Falkland Islands and I think that is a message to everyone in the world that the people of these islands have chosen very clearly the future they want and that choice should be respected by everyone.'

Buenos Aires-born Francis I made the remarks in April last year 30 years on from the conflict which was sparked by his country invading the disputed territory.

Controversy: Pope Francis delivered a speech today as he met the Cardinals for the first time after his election, at the Vatican

The Argentinian Pope Francis has sparked with Kirchner in the past over Gay marriage and implied that women should not hold office

Just hours after Pope Francis was elected the 256th Pope, President Cristina Kirchner appeared to be gearing up to use his powerful new status to Argentina’s advantage.

In a televised address Ms Kirchner said she hoped the new Pope would 'take a message to the major world powers that they need to participate in dialogue.'

Emphatic message: Man wearing a Union flag suit danced as he cast his vote in the referendum to decide if the Falkland Islands remains as British territory in Port Stanley, on March 10. The islanders voted 99.8 per cent in favour of staying British

Unanimous verdict: Islanders celebrated late into the night after the referendum in Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, meant only three votes out of 1,517 were cast against the islands remaining British

Kirchner added that God and the Virgin would also wish just causes to sometimes triumph

It is feared that if Argentinians interpret the latest development as an intervention by God on their side, it could be a catalyst for nationalism.

Tensions between Argentine and British governments grew last year as the 30th anniversary of the war for control of the South Atlantic islands approached.

Meanwhile military chiefs have drawn up plans for a 'show of force' to warn off any Buenos Aires sanctioned-aggression after Falkland Islanders voted to remain under UK sovereignty in a referendum this week.

After wishing her compatriot luck, Kirchner said: '(We hope) that (his mission) takes the message to the major powers in the world to participate in dialogue ... that the great powers in the world, who have arms and financial power, can be convinced to finally heed the emerging countries and that they commit to a dialogue of civilisations where things are resolved by diplomatic channels rather than by force.'

She added pointedly: 'We ask God that he help make it possible that just causes also sometimes triumph in this blessed land we call Earth, because I am sure that God and the Virgin also wish it so.'

President Kirchner's relationship with the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires has until now been thorny, the two having engaged in open battle over gay marriage.

When the conservative cardinal called for God's War on her government's gay marriage proposals, Kirchner accused him of putting forward ideas 'from the Dark Ages and the Inquisition'. He replied that women were to inept to hold political positions.

But given her one time enemy’s new sway, not to mention infallibility, all that seems to be water under the bridge-the Argentine premier has already cleared her diary to fly to Rome for the inaugural mass on Tuesday.

Despite their apparent differences, the two share a hostile rhetoric when it comes to the islands. As recently as 2010 Bergoglio declared: ‘The Malvinas are ours.’

Speaking at a Maundy Thursday ceremony a day before the 28th anniversary of the Falklands in April 2010, Bergoglio had urged the Argentinian people to remember those who had fallen during the war'.

He said: ‘We must not forget those whose blood was shed on Argentinian soil.’

Kirchner maintains that the Falklands are Argentina's land. Pictured, the 40 Commando, Royal Marines in Port Howard, West Falkland during the war

Argentine soldiers, still with their weapons, waiting to be moved from Port Stanley airport shortly after the surrender of the Falkland Islands to the British force.

'Dialogue is good for everyone, but this dialogue is difficult because it presupposes both sides take small steps.

He added: 'Let's not forget. At meetings like these, reconciliation is the right thing to do, but the Malvinas are ours.'

And just last year he used a memorial service for the 30th anniversary of the start of the the war to rail at Britain who he accused of ‘usurping’ the islands.

No fear: Then archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Bergoglio, now Pope Francis, washing feet of drug addicts at a rehabilitation center to addicts in a shantytown of Buenos Aires

Cleansing: Pope Francis, pictured washing the feet of Aids victims - it will be interesting to see how he plans to approach the subject as he takes over as the head of the Catholic Church

During a mass in Buenos Aires on April 2 he told former conscripts and families of those who died: 'We come to pray for those who have fallen, sons of the homeland who set out to defend his mother, the homeland, to claim the country that is theirs and they were usurped.

'Many young people were there and could not return. Others returned but none could forget.

'Many scars, many families destroyed by permanent absence or a return cut short. The country needs to remember them all.'

With the people: Pope Francis during the inauguration of a chapel at a shanty town in Buenos Aires - he asked for people to donate money to charity rather than pay to see his inauguration in Rome

Community-led: A photo taken in 1998 of the Pope saying mass in a shanty town in his home city - he has always championed the causes of the poor and needy