Argentina has launched a fresh bid to take over the 'illegally occupied' Falkland Islands in a move branded 'extraordinary' by a former head of the Royal Navy. The announcement came during President Javier Milei's speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday.The firebrand Argentinian leader told the summit that his country's claim to the South Atlantic island was 'legitimate' and 'unrenouncable'. In a fiery speech that could outrage leaders in Downing Street, Milei called on the UK to open 'bilateral' talks over the 'sensitive and crucially important issue' of the so-called 'Islas Malvinas'. 'I wish to reiterate our legitimate claim in terms of sovereignty over the Malvinas and the surrounding maritime areas that continue to be illegally occupied,' he said. 'In spite of the fact that 80 years have elapsed since the creation of [the UN], colonial situations such as this one remain unresolved.'For this reason, we call on the United Kingdom to resume bilateral negotiations.'But his comments have angered the Royal Navy's former First Sea Lord, Admiral Lord Alan West. Argentinian President Javier Milei made the claim during a fiery speech at the UN General Assembly in New York on Wednesday (pictured) The controversial president insisted the British overseas territory was 'illegally' occupiedThe Labour peer, whose ship was sunk during the 1982 effort to retake the Falklands from Argentina, branded the president's comments 'extraordinary'.The former naval commander warned Britain's Chagos Islands 'surrender' deal, which saw the UK hand sovereignty of the strategic archipelago back to Mauritius while leasing it from Diego Garcia, could have emboldened Milei.'The British Government made it very clear that the sovereignty of the Falklands is not up for debate. They are an independent nation and under our protection. That's it,' he told the Mail.'I think the Argentine president mentioning this is extraordinary. Doing this does not help at all. Perhaps this Chagos Island business makes him think we might hand it over.'But he has got it wrong - 99.99 per cent of people on the island want to remain British. Sovereignty is absolutely not up for debate.'In the last referendum, more than 99 per cent of Falklanders voted to retain the islands' links to the UK. Speaking of the Chagos Island fiasco, Lord West added: 'It's flagged up we might give things up and make people think about it. But on the Falklands, they have got it wrong.'Britain is leasing the Chagos from Diego Garcia for a period of 99 years, with an average annual cost to the taxpayer of £101million. The Falklands Warwas triggered by the invasion of Argentinian troops on April 2, 1982 Admiral Lord Alan West (pictured) was a naval commander during the effort to retake the islands and survived the sinking of his ship, HMS Ardent But the handing over of the outpost - which is a key military base - has sparked widespread criticism. It comes after fresh details emerged last month which said the deal would cost ten times what Labour said it would – according to the Government's own figures.Official documents show the UK will pay some £35billion to hand the islands over to Mauritius – compared to the £3.4billion previously stated by Sir Keir Starmer in May. Dame Priti Patel, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, accused the Government of 'tricking' the public after the figures, seen by the Telegraph, were released under Freedom of Information laws.She told the newspaper: 'Instead of owning up to the costs, Labour have used an accountancy trick to claim the amount was only a mere £3.4billion.'We've all known it's a terrible deal with huge costs to hard-pressed British taxpayers. But for months, ministers in public and Parliament have sought to cover up the true amounts.'Speaking of President Milei's comments at the 80th session of the UN General Assembly, Tory MP Ben Obese-Jecty said: 'After Labour’s Chagos debacle the Government must reassert its commitment to the Falkland Islands in the wake of Javier Milei’s speech and make this clear to Argentina.'The Argentine leader's statement came just days after politicians from the South American state were further emboldened in claims to the British archipelago after comments made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's son, Yair.Mr Netanyahu, who has been living in a Miami penthouse as his country remains at war, wrote on social media: 'I recognise the Falkland Islands as part of Argentina!" on Tuesday - shortly after the Sir Keir Starmer announced Britain's recognition of a Palestinian state. In Buenos Aires, Argentina's secretary of worship Nahuel Sotelo celebrated the remarks on social media 'historic'. President Javier Milei, who has famously been pictured with a chainsaw at political events, said Argentina had a 'legitimate claim in terms of sovereignty' of the Falklands While, the head of Mr Milei's party bloc in the country's legislature, Agustin Romo, added: 'The son of the Prime Minister of Israel announces he recognises the Malvinas as Argentine. Thank you, Yair.'Baroness Chapman, Britain's Minister for International Development, Latin America and Caribbean today hit out and Argentinian president's comments. In a statement, she told the Mail: 'The UK's support for the Falkland Islanders' right of self-determination is unwavering.'The people of the Falkland Islands made their wish to remain a self-governing overseas territory of the UK clear in an internationally observed referendum in 2013. The UK will continue to defend their right to decide their own future.'Critics have suggested Milei's comments about the Falklands could have been used as a distraction, to divert attention away from Argentina's tanking economy. The country has been facing a fiscal freefall, with the value of the peso plunging while investors dump Argentine stocks and bonds.Earlier this week, the US government said it would aid the country amid its financial turmoil, with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent saying the America is 'ready to do what is needed' to help stabilise the market.Milei, a libertarian economist and ally of US President Donald Trump, was elected president of Argentina in 2023. He famously celebrated his wielded a chainsaw during his successful election campaign, using the power tool as a symbol of the deep cuts he intended to make to the state's spending.