Argentina on Tuesday dismissed a two-day long vote in the Falklands as a "ploy" by Great Britain meant to mask the "weakness" London's claim to the islands. The remarks by Argentina's ambassador to Britain, Alicia Castro, to local radio here came a day after residents of the Falkland Islands voted almost unanimously to remain a self-governed British overseas territory.

British Prime Minister David Cameron on Tuesday urged Argentina to respect the wishes of the Falkland Islanders after they voted overwhelmingly in a referendum to remain a British territory. Some 92 percent of the 1,672 eligible voters turned out to deliver a 99.8 percent "yes" vote in favour of staying an internally self-governing British territory, according to official results. Only three votes out of 1,517 valid ballots were cast against the islands remaining British.

British Prime Minister David Cameron on Tuesday urged Argentina to respect the wishes of the Falkland Islanders after they voted overwhelmingly in a referendum to remain a British territory. Before the result, Buenos Aires had dismissed the vote as meaningless in international law, saying it would not affect its claims on the South Atlantic archipelago. But Cameron said the 99.8 percent "yes" vote, on a turnout of 92 percent, was "the clearest possible result there could be" and Argentina should respect that.

Falkland Islanders on Monday voted overwhelmingly in favour of remaining a British oversees territory in a referendum designed to send a strong message to Argentina, which earlier derided the poll as illegal. Some 92 percent of the islands' 1,672 eligible voters turned out to deliver a 98.8 percent "yes" vote in favour of staying an internally self-governing British territory, election officials in the capital Port Stanley announced. Only three votes out of 1,517 were cast against the islands remaining British.