Britain's Latin America minister Jeremy Browne has turned down an invitation for talks in Argentina when he visits the Falkland Islands next week, the British foreign ministry said Friday.

The Foreign Office said Browne was "grateful" for the invitation but would be busy attending ceremonies marking the 30th anniversary of the brief but bloody war between Britain and Argentina over the Falklands.

Tension between London and Buenos Aires has risen in the run-up to the anniversary of the conflict, which cost the lives of 649 Argentine and 255 British troops.

"We have today received an invitation from Argentina's Foreign Minister, Hector Timerman, for Mr Browne to visit Buenos Aires next week," a Foreign Office spokeswoman said.

"However he has a full schedule of events in the Falkland Islands to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the conflict there. This has been arranged for some time. Mr Browne is grateful for the invitation."

Britain has held the Falklands since 1833, but Buenos Aires claims that the barren South Atlantic islands -- which are home to fewer than 3,000 people -- are occupied Argentine territory.

On April 2, 1982, the then-ruling junta in Argentina invaded the archipelago, sparking a 74-day war with Britain.

Analysts believe oil supplies worth tens of billions of dollars may lie off the Falklands, and Britain enraged Argentina by authorising prospecting off the archipelago in 2010.

On Monday, Argentina declared British oil exploration off the Falklands "illegal" and immediately set about suing five companies for pursuing activities around the islands.

Browne will be the first British minister to visit the Falklands in an official capacity since January 2008.

The minister, who departs Sunday, will be in the British overseas territory from Monday to Friday.

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said Britain had "a longstanding interest in building a stronger partnership with Argentina on a broad range of issues of mutual interest".

"The only issue that we will not discuss is the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands, until and unless the Islanders wish us to do so."