Angry Argentina Drags Oil Drillers In Disputed Falklands To Court; An Upset UK Calls It Bullying

In a new break out of passive hostilities between Britain and Argentina over the disputed Falkland Islands, Argentina announced legal action against three British companies and two American firms, which are engaged in drilling oil and gas at the Falkland Islands. The two countries had fought a short war in 1982 over the claims on that island.

Announcing this in London, Argentina's minister for the Falklands Daniel Filmus said a judge in Rio Grande, Argentina had agreed to take up the case and will examine the legal breaches committed by the companies which did the drilling in Falklands, reports Sky News. "We have begun a local procedure," said Filmus. The judge will decide whether to take the case forward. And if he decides that the executives have to declare before him, then the drilling firm executives have to do so, the minister said. The UK firms are Rockhopper, Premier Oil and Falkland Oil and Gas. The move has heated up the diplomatic row involving the islands' sovereignty.

Jolt For Britain

The lawsuit seems to have come as a jolt as Britain, which had been saying that any such action would be "unreasonable.” According to a Sky News report, Britain had summoned Argentina's UK ambassador to the Foreign Office on this issue. Giving Britain’s reaction, Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond described Argentina’s lawsuit as "an outrageous piece of bullying and an abuse of international procedure."

Falkland Flays Argentina

Filmus added that Argentina was “forced to resort to defensive measures” to protect its natural resources, reports The Guardian. Meanwhile, a statement by Falklands Island Government dismissed the lawsuit as another attempt by Argentina to block economic growth in the Falkland Islands. It cannot understand how drilling can be a provocation.

The FIG said it is worth remembering that it was the Government of Argentina that walked out from a project on the development of a hydrocarbons industry in the island a few years ago. Since Argentine domestic law does not apply to the Falkland Islands, this latest action is clearly an attempt to block the island’s economic growth, the statement by the island government added.

Meanwhile, Argentine ambassador Alicia Castro, who is a strident defender of Argentine claims over the Falklands, likened British sovereignty over the archipelago to China's claim to the Soho district of Chinatown. The envoy said people could be of any nationality but ownership of the land was indisputable, as far as Argentina is concerned.

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