White smoke over Falklands was clear, David Cameron tells Pope Francis

David Cameron has clashed publicly with the new Pope over the Argentine pontiff's claim that Britain "usurped" the Falkland Islands.

Pope Francis, a former Archbishop of Buenos Aires, has previously described the disputed territory as belonging to "the homeland" of Argentina.

However, the Prime Minister told him on Friday that he should "respect" the islanders' referendum vote for the Falklands to remain British.

Cameron even dared to make a joke at the expense of the Vatican's ancient election process. "The white smoke over the Falklands was pretty clear," he said.

His comments, at a press conference at the European Council summit in Brussels, follow the islanders' referendum that delivered an overwhelming majority in favour of the Falklands remaining a British overseas territory.

Pope Francis, the first South American leader of the world's Roman Catholics, has already placed on record his belief that "Las Malvinas" are Argentine.

Last year, at a Mass at Buenos Aires for the 30th anniversary of the 1982 Falklands conflict, the future Pope told worshippers: "We come to pray for all who have fallen, sons of the homeland who went out to defend their mother, the homeland, and to reclaim what is theirs, that is of the homeland, and it was 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."

Asked at the press conference whether he agreed with Pope Francis on the issue of the Falklands, 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.

"As it were, the white smoke over the Falklands was pretty clear."

The world first learnt that the conclave of cardinals had chosen a new Pope this week through the traditional signal of white smoke rising from a chimney in the roof of the Sistine Chapel.

British sources insisted that Cameron was not intending to be disrespectful to the Pope or the Vatican.

Argentina has used the election of the new Pope to renew international pressure for talks over the future of the disputed territory.

Cristina Kirchner, the Argentine president, has already attempted to recruit Pope Francis in her campaign to take control of the Falklands. In a thinly veiled reference to the dispute, she called on the pontiff to persuade "major world powers" to engage in "dialogue".

Despite a previously fractious relationship with the new Pope, Kirchner lost no time in seeking political leverage from his elevation. In a televised address, she said: "We hope that his mission takes the message to the major powers in the world to participate in dialogue."

The islands in the South Atlantic have been British territory since 1833 but are also claimed by Argentina, which calls them Las Malvinas.

In the referendum last week, only three people were opposed to the Falklands remaining a British overseas territory, against 1,513 who voted in favour.

Dick Sawle, of the islands' legislative assembly, said of the new Pope: "I would hope that as leader of the Roman Catholic Church he would recognise that Christ died so that all men could be equal, and accept our rights as individuals here in the Falklands Islands."

After the vote, Britain urged "all countries" to accept the result and respect the islanders' views.