Pope Francis might have stirred a new round of controversies as he was photographed in the Vatican holding a sign calling for Argentine-UK talks about the Falkland Islands, called Malvinas in Argentina.

Inscribed on the card was: Es tiempo de dialogo entre Argentina y Reino Unido por Malvinas meaning "It's time for dialogue between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands.''

The pontiff is from Argentina. He received the sign from Gustavo Hoyo, leader of a campaign for dialogue on the islands, during a papal audience.

A senior Vatican claimed that Pope Francis "did not know and did not realise what was written on it".

In 1982 UK forces defeated Argentine troops, who had invaded the Falklands.

The war left Argentina and the UK still disputing the islands' sovereignty - but a UN resolution has called for dialogue to reach a settlement.