UK pledge to protect Falklands amid legal row over oil
PHILIP Hammond pledged to protect the Falklands from ‘argentinian bullying’ last night as the country began legal action against British companies exploring for oil off the islands.
It follows a provocative speech by argentinian president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, prompting the Foreign Office to summon the her ambassador for a dressing down.
Buenos aires responded by accusing three British oil firms of working without permission.
The argentine government said it was taking legal action against three British and two Us companies for ‘exploration activities for fossil fuels on the argentine continental shelf without obtaining the corresponding authorisation’.
The legal complaint listed Rockhopper Exploration, Premier Oil, Falkland Oil and Gas Limited and Us firms Noble Energy and Edison International – accusing them of sending a semi- submersible rig to explore a basin 120 miles north of the islands ‘subjected to the illegitimate British occupation’.
It also warned the rig’s owner, Greece-based firm Ocean Rig, that it could face ‘legal consequences’ over the drilling.
The diplomatic row over the fate of the Falklands has worsened in recent weeks, after the Government pledged to invest £180million in the islands’ defences over the next ten years.
President Fernandez de Kirchner last week promised: ‘We will see the islands form part of our territory again. It’s not just wishful think-
‘Hollow and illegal threats’
ing.’ Her remarks came on the 33rd anniversary of argentina’s invasion of the Falklands, leading to a conflict that cost 250 British and 650 argentinian lives.
Last night Foreign secretary Mr Hammond said: ‘Cristina Kirchner’s threats against those who do business with the Falkland Islands are as hollow as they are illegal. The islanders have a perfect right to develop their oil and gas industry – and they can rely on us to protect them from argentinian bullying as they do so.’
alicia Castro, argentine ambassador to the UK, was summoned by the Foreign Office on Wednesday. yesterday, in a tit-for-tat move, argentine deputy foreign minister Eduardo Zuain summoned the UK ambassador to Buenos aires, John Freeman, to complain about recent spying revelations by Edward snowden.
Daniel Filmus, minister for the Malvinas – as argentina calls the Falklands – said his government would try to block further oil exploration.
‘We want the owners of the companies to be tried according to argentine laws and international statutes,’ he said, adding that this could involve ‘an argentine judge issuing an arrest warrant against those who operate illegally in argentine waters’.
although Falkland residents overwhelmingly voted to stay British in a recent referendum, Buenos aires claims the islands and surrounding waters belong to argentina.