UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon reiterated Monday his good offices on the dispute over Malvinas Islands (known as Falkland Islands to the Britons) between Argentina and Britain.

The secretary-general made the statement while meeting here with Argentine President Cristina Fernandez, who is here to chair a high-level open debate of the UN Security Council Tuesday on relations between the council and regional organizations that have been playing a greater role in trying to prevent conflict and restore peace.

During the meeting, "they discussed the issue of the Falkland Island (Malvinas)," UN spokesman Martin Nesirky told reporters here late on Monday. "The secretary-general reiterated that his good offices to resolve this dispute remain available, if both parties engage."

The sovereignty dispute over the islands dates back to 1820, when Argentina took over the islands from Spain and stationed troops there. But in 1833 the islands were occupied by Britain, which claimed them as a colony administered by a London-appointed governor. The islands have been under British rule ever since.

Argentina has never given up its demand of the islands. In 1966, Argentina and Britain began negotiations to resolve the dispute, but talks broke down in 1982. Buenos Aires tried to retake the islands by force later that year, sparking the 74-day Malvinas War. Argentina lost the battle in the end.

Though the two countries resumed diplomatic relations in February 1990, dispute over the Malvinas continued and even exacerbated due to the booming oil exploration in the islands' water in recent years.

According to official results on Monday, 99.8 percent of 2,931 residents, with most of them being of British origin, voted in favor of retaining British rule over the islands.

However, repeatedly calling the referendum "illegal," Argentina strongly rejected the results.

Argentina, currently one of the 10 non-permanent council members, is the president of the 15-nation UN body for August.

During Monday's meeting, Ban congratulated Argentina's presidency of the Security Council, Nesirky said.

"The secretary-general welcomed the open debate on cooperation between the UN and regional and subregional organizations in the maintenance of international peace and security that Argentina had convened for Aug. 6," he said.

During the meeting, the secretary-general and the president also touched upon the situations in Haiti, Egypt and Syria, he added.