New pope welcome in UK, despite Falkland views: Press

LONDON (AFP) - Britain's press on Thursday set aside its bitterness towards Argentina over the Falkland Islands to welcome in Pope Francis, the Catholic Church's first head from the New World.

Britain's newspapers hailed the Vatican's decision to look farther afield for a leader, but The Times and Sun both noted the Argentinian's 2011 comments in which he declared the disputed islands "ours".

The islands hit the headlines earlier this week when its inhabitants voted 99.8 per cent in favour of remaining British, but Argentina dismissed the poll as irrelevant.

"We hope his previous sermons sympathising with Argentina's position will not be repeated," said the reliably patriotic Sun in its editorial.