BUENOS AIRES, Argentina: Argentina's foreign minister asked the head of the United Nations on Wednesday to help resolve a dispute with Britain over a swath of the southern Atlantic Ocean where Britain has begun drilling for oil.

Following a meeting with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at UN headquarters, Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana told reporters Ban was not happy tensions have worsened because of Britain's decision to start drilling and was willing to continue his "good offices" mission.

A statement issued later by Ban's office said the secretary-general "took note of Argentina's concerns" in the meeting with Taiana. "The secretary-general expressed satisfaction at Argentina's commitment to resolving its dispute with the United Kingdom over the islands in a peaceful manner."

The UN General Assembly called for Argentina and Britain to negotiate sovereignty over the islands following a brief 1982 war for control, which Britain won.

Britain has ruled out any concessions involving the islands that its people have occupied since the early 1800s.

"As British ministers have made clear, the UK has no doubt about its sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, South Georgia and the Sandwich Islands," Britain's UN Ambassador Sir Mark Lyall Grant said in a statement.

"This position is underpinned by the principle of self-determination as set out in the UN Charter. We are also clear that the Falkland Islands government is entitled to develop a hydrocarbons industry within its waters, and we support this legitimate business in Falklands' territory."

Taiana called Britain's oil-drilling operation "an illegal act that goes against international law and against express UN resolutions asking that neither side take unilateral actions that could aggravate the situation."

The foreign minister reiterated Argentina's position that the islands are part of the South American country's territory and that the islands' residents, who strongly favor retaining ties to Britain, do not have the unilateral right to decide what they want the islands to be.

The issue heated up this week when Argentine President Cristina Fernandez protested the start of British oil drilling near the islands, calling it "robbery." She had already imposed restrictions on ships that pass through seas near the islands — but Britain told its ship captains to ignore them.