By Aislinn Laing 3:04PM GMT 14 Mar 2013
Cristina Kirchner, the Argentine president, has suggested that Jorge Bergoglio, the Argentine cardinal elected to be the new Pope Francis, will help mediate on her country's dispute with Britain over the Falkland Islands.
Argentine President Fernandez greets Cardinal Bergoglio at the Basilica of Lujan Photo: REUTERS
In a televised address, Mrs Kirchner wished Pope Francis "luck" and expressed the wish that "in his pastoral mission, he carries the message to the great world powers that they participate in dialogue".
While never explicitly referring to the Falklands, known to Argentines as Las Malvinas, Mrs Kirchner raised her voice and her hands when referring to the "major world powers", and was applauded and cheered by a large crowd of supporters.
"We wish him all the luck in the world in his pastoral mission and what it means for Latin America and Argentina – we hope that it will be significant for our region," she 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: "We trust plainly in this vision and 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."
Earlier this week, she dismissed the referendum in the Falkland Islands, in which residents voted in favour of remaining a British overseas territory as a "parody", likening it to "squatters voting to continue to illegally occupying a building".
Pope Francis's views on the Falkland Islands remain unclear, but he once told a congregation of Argentine veterans that those who died there during the 1982 war with Britain were "reclaiming what is theirs".
During a Mass on April 2 last year to mark the 30th anniversary of the start of the war, the then Cardinal 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.
"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.
Argentina's Cristina Kirchner suggests Pope Francis could mediate over Falklands - Telegraph
