The new Argentinian president, Mauricio Macri, will meet David Cameron at the World Economic Forum in Davos this week in a warming of ties that have long been chilled by a dispute over the Falkland Islands.
The one-on-one talks, which were confirmed to the Guardian by a senior aide on the eve of Macri’s flight to Europe, underscore a softening of rhetoric over the islands following last month’s change of government in Buenos Aires.
Cameron and Macri’s predecessor, Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, clashed very publicly over the islands, which are claimed by Argentina, where they are known as Las Malvinas.
The two nations fought a bloody war over the territory in the South Atlantic in 1982. Argentina was defeated, hastening the fall of its military junta. The 74-day conflict claimed the lives of 649 Argentine soldiers, 255 British soldiers and three islanders.
Substantial oil and gas reserves have subsequently been found in waters around the islands.
Macri’s government repeated Argentina’s claim to sovereignty earlier this year, but presidential aides indicate he will take a less confrontational stance and work on improving bilateral relations.
In June last year, Cameron told Argentina to stop threatening oil and gas companies exercising their legal rights to explore the Falkland Islands and the surrounding waters.
Argentina claims it inherited the remote, windswept islands from Spain when it gained independence. Britain argues it has historically ruled them and that the islanders should have the right to self-determination. In a 2013 referendum, 99.8% voted to remain a British overseas territory.
On Sunday, the Labour leader, Jeremy Corbyn, called for a “sensible dialogue” with Argentina over the islands. He said the islanders should have an “enormous say” in any discussions with Argentina but did not think they should be given veto powers.
“I think there has to be a discussion about how you can bring about some reasonable accommodation with Argentina,” he said. “Let’s have that discussion and let’s not set agendas in advance.”
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