Hillary Clinton 'stands ready' to help Argentina and Britain resolve Falkland Islands row

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Hillary Clinton will meet Argentina's president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner

The pair share a laugh during their meeting

Hillary Clinton with Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner during a meeting in Buenos Aires yesterday

Hillary Clinton has pledged to help Argentina and Britain resolve new tensions over the disputed Falkland Islands, which sparked a war between the two countries in 1982.

Argentina is expected today to urge the U.S. secretary of state to press Britain to negotiate over the Falklands.

Its president, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, is meeting with Mrs Clinton at the inauguration of Uruguay's new president Jose Mujica in Montevideo.
Mrs Kirchner, who is known as the Queen of Argentina for her imperial manner, counts Mrs Clinton and ex-U.S. president Bill Clinton as friends.

She and husband Nestor, a former president, are said to want to take advantage of that relationship to put pressure on the Government.

The U.S. has said that it remains neutral on the issue of the islands' sovereignty.

But Mrs Clinton said today that America stood ready to help.

'We'll be going to Buenos Aires later today, I look forward to meeting with President (Cristina Fernandez) de Kirchner and discussing a full range of issues,' Mrs Clinton said during an appearance in Montevideo.

'It is our position that this is a matter to be resolved between the United Kingdom and Argentina. If we can be of any help in facilitating such an effort, we stand ready to do so.'
President Obama was irritated by the fact Mrs Kirchner spent the day of his presidential inauguration with her friend Fidel Castro in Cuba.

Americans were also angered by George Bush being snubbed by the country's then leader Nestor Kirchner at a summit in Argentina in 2005.

President Barack Obama was accused of being 'feeble' by failing to back London in the stand-off with Argentina over the disputed islands, despite the 'special relationship'.

London and Buenos Aires are at odds over UK firm Desire Petroleum's decision to drill for oil 60 miles north of the Falklands.

Geologists estimate there are up to 60billion barrels of oil in the seabed.

The Argentine government has tabled a UN resolution condemning the plan. It has also secured backing from 32 South American nations supporting its claim that Britain has occupied the islands illegally since 1833.

The Falklands remains an emotive issue in Argentina and offers a way for a populist president to whip up public support.

Mrs Kirchner issued a presidential decree last month forcing ships sailing to the Falklands from Argentina to seek a permit, after learning that an oil rig was to start exploratory drilling.

A spokesman for British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he did not expect any direct contact between Mr Brown and Mrs Kirchner on the issue and said Britain had given no thought to any military response.