Ian Shields, who spent four months serving on the Islands, said it wasn’t surprising Argentina had stepped up its claim over the British Overseas Territory ahead of the 40-year commemorations of the Falklands War. But he said the claim has “no more legitimacy than it did in 1982” when Argentina invaded the islands and sparked all-out war.

       Mr Shields, international relations expert at Cambridge University, told Express.co.uk: “I would have been far more surprised if there hadn’t been anything coming out of Argentina but it’s ultimately politics.

       “I would expect the Argentinian government to be making some noise on this anniversary.

       “Their claim has certainly no more legitimacy than it in 1982 if not indeed less - the world opinion in the aftermath of 1982 was back the British.

       “I think in the court of global public opinion and global international politics, the Argentinian claim can be dismissed.”

       He was speaking after the South American nation intensified its claim to seize back control of the British Overseas Territory ahead of commemorations to mark 40 years since the end of the Falklands War.

       Argentina's Defence Minister Jorge Taiana warned it would “never renounce” its claim to sovereignty of the islands.

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       In a strongly-worded statement, Argentina's Foreign Ministry said Britain's refusal to resume negotiations is "aggravated" by "continuous" "unilateral" actions by the UK, including the exploitation of natural resources and military exercises in the area.

       But Mr Shields argued the people of the Falkland Islands benefit from Western influences rather than influences from South America.

       He said: “It is worth remembering that one of the main reasons of why the invasion in 1982 took place in the first place was to divert Argentinian public attention away from massive internal problems, with a stagnating economy and huge problems with recession.

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       “I think it's worth putting the domestic political context at the forefront of any analysis.

       “The islanders massively align themselves with Great Britain not with anywhere in South America.

       “The basis of the Argentinian economy remains a European stroke Western focus rather than a South American focus.

       “The tourism industry which is the biggest economy these days is due to the cruise ships from the Western world.”

       The UK and Argentina have been embroiled in a long-running diplomatic spat over the islands, which have been under British control since 1833.

       Argentina's 1982 invasion sparked a war that left around 650 Argentine soldiers and 255 British dead.

       It ended with the surrender of the Argentine troops a few weeks later.