The Argentine government urged the United Kingdom to return to the negotiating table over the Malvinas Islands Wednesday, in response to a planned 'beef up' of its military presence on the disputed islands.

“The Argentine government reiterates that dialogue and negotiation, not weapons, are the only way to resolve the issue,” Argentina's foreign ministry said in a statement.

The ministry described the “growing militarization” of the disputed islands as “absolutely unjustifiable.”

“These substantial funds should be used to benefit the British people, to fight unemployment, improve education and health and deepen social inclusion. You can not continue to deceive the citizens and taxpayers of the United Kingdom, (based on) ghosts of the past,” the ministry argued.

The statement was in response to a planned US$417 million increase in funding to military installations on the islands. U.K. Defense Minister Michael Fallon first suggested boosting the military presence on the islands in an interview with the BBC Tuesday morning. Fallon claimed Argentina's rumored plans to obtain 12 long range bombers from Russia posed a “threat” to the islands that the U.K. must “respond” to.

RELATED: Malvinas: A Colonial Enclave in Latin America

“We do need to modernize our defenses there, to ensure we have sufficient troops and that the islands are properly defended in terms of air and maritime defense,” he stated.

Now, the government says troop numbers will not considerably change, despite the new military funding.

The U.K. government hasn't changed its stance of refusing to negotiate the sovereignty of the islands, despite more than 40 United Nations resolutions calling on the country to join Argentina at the negotiating table.

RELATED: British Firm Finds More Gas Reserves on the Malvinas

Known to the British as the Falklands, the Malvinas Islands have been held by the UK since 1833, when British warships seized the archipelago. Argentina has long disputed British claims to the islands. In 1982 tensions boiled over into a short war that claimed close to 900 lives, and ended with the U.K. holding on to the islands. Since the war, both Argentina and the U.K. have been called on by the United Nations to reach a negotiated solution to the simmering dispute.

In its recent statement, Argentina's foreign ministry said the government remains open to negotiating with the U.K.

“The Argentine Government believes that the best way to start this dialogue is facing the need to end all vestiges of colonialism in our continent,” the ministry stated.

Argentina says the U.K. is squandering public funds on boosting its Malvinas military presence. The Argentine government urged the United Kingdom to return to the negotiating table over the Malvinas Islands Wednesday, in response to a planned 'beef up' of its military presence on the disputed islands. “The Argentine government reiterates that dialogue and negotiation, not weapons, are the only way to resolve the issue,” Argentina's foreign ministry said in a statement. The ministry described the “growing militarization” of the disputed islands as “absolutely unjustifiable.” “These substantial funds should be used to benefit the British people, to fight unemployment, improve education and health and deepen social inclusion. You can not continue to deceive the citizens and taxpayers of the United Kingdom, (based on) ghosts of the past,” the ministry argued. The statement was in response to a planned US$417 million increase in funding to military installations on the islands. U.K. Defense Minister Michael Fallon first suggested boosting the military presence on the islands in an interview with the BBC Tuesday morning. Fallon claimed Argentina's rumored plans to obtain 12 long range bombers from Russia posed a “threat” to the islands that the U.K. must “respond” to. RELATED: Malvinas: A Colonial Enclave in Latin America “We do need to modernize our defenses there, to ensure we have sufficient troops and that the islands are properly defended in terms of air and maritime defense,” he stated. Now, the government says troop numbers will not considerably change, despite the new military funding. The U.K. government hasn't changed its stance of refusing to negotiate the sovereignty of the islands, despite more than 40 United Nations resolutions calling on the country to join Argentina at the negotiating table. RELATED: British Firm Finds More Gas Reserves on the Malvinas Known to the British as the Falklands, the Malvinas Islands have been held by the UK since 1833, when British warships seized the archipelago. Argentina has long disputed British claims to the islands. In 1982 tensions boiled over into a short war that claimed close to 900 lives, and ended with the U.K. holding on to the islands. Since the war, both Argentina and the U.K. have been called on by the United Nations to reach a negotiated solution to the simmering dispute. In its recent statement, Argentina's foreign ministry said the government remains open to negotiating with the U.K. “The Argentine Government believes that the best way to start this dialogue is facing the need to end all vestiges of colonialism in our continent,” the ministry stated.

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