MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Brazil denies, and will not accept, contacts with Falklands’ oil industry
The Brazilian government denied that the Falkland Islands “have been looking for business options in Brazil” specifically linked to hydrocarbons exploration, according to the head of the South American Desk at the Brazilian Foreign Affairs ministry.
According to press reports in Brasilia, Joao Luiz Pereira on Tuesday called officials from the Argentine embassy and emphatically denied any contact of Brazilian officials with any representative from the Falkland Islands Legislative Assembly regarding possible oil deals.
Over the week end and in anticipation of Liberation Day in the Falklands (14 June 1982) the Buenos Aires correspondent of Folha de Sao Paulo interviewed on the phone LAM Glen Ross who is attributed the statements referred to ‘business options in Brazil’ regarding the current oil exploratory round in the Islands’ waters.
The news was immediately echoed by other Brazilian media and particularly the Argentine press.
The head of the South American Desk went further and said that in the event of such contacts and given the clear Brazilian support to Argentina regarding its legitimate sovereignty rights over the Malvinas Islands, “Brazil will not accept any kind of dialogue” in that field.
According to a release from the Argentine chancellery, during the recent OAS General Assembly held in Lima, Peru, it was Brazilian Deputy Foreign Affairs minister Antonio Patriota, who following an introduction from Argentina’s Jorge Taiana, read the declaration on the Malvinas Question, which was unanimously approved and acclaimed by the representatives from the 33 countries meeting in Lima.
At the Lima meeting Taiana claimed that the ‘new British adventure’ was in line with the colonial spirit that animates its presence in the south of the American continent, “searching at a distance of thousands of kilometres for the resources that are becoming scarce in its own area”.
Taiana also warned that the illegal activity of exploring for oil in Malvinas waters entails many risks for the region, not least environmental threats as can be witnessed in the Gulf of Mexico “which could not only affect Argentina but the whole region”.
Brazil’s support for Argentina’s sovereignty rights over the disputed Islands in the South Atlantic is more than confirmed by this latest position highlights the Argentine release.
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Read all commentsTaiana also warned that the illegal activity of exploring for oil in Malvinas waters entails many risks for the region, not least environmental threats as can be witnessed in the Gulf of Mexico “which could not only affect Argentina but the whole region”.
Jun 16th, 2010 - 06:18 am +1while I hope there is never any environmental threat when the oil is extracted around our Islands it should be fairly obvious that due to the location of the oil (north and south east of the Islands) there is only a relatively small chance of an oil spill/leak reaching Falkland shores, far less mainland South America. This is due to prevailing wind directions and currents.
Don't wear your brain out Think, after all it should be a busy week. The Committee of 24 reconvened yesterday and have already approved “... requests for hearings from officials from the Falkland Islands ... ”.
Jun 16th, 2010 - 06:49 am +1They took an ear bending over Gibraltar yesterday and no doubt will be getting some of the same over the Falkland Islands. Hey ho ... round and round it goes :-)
Hey guys. I wouldn't get too het up in what is a small amour of power politics being played out in the regional media. This is an attempt at light touch leveraging on both sides. Ultimatly this is not an issue for governments as the actual drilling is being done by a number of PLCs and they will negotiate contracts with other PLCs. Companies in Brazil have already assisted the drilling and the OG was moored in Brazil when the tow ship was re-fueling etc. This is a game of poker and will all blow over in due course. Does Brazil have any legal framework to not allow businesses that have some business interests in the Falkland Islands? Based on the available evidence it would appear not. You don't need to recognize a state in order to do business with it e.g Taiwan, Northern Cypres, Somaliland etc.
Jun 16th, 2010 - 07:08 am +1Future Argentine leaders may be wise enough to not allow money to run through their fingers and will look at the relationship between Gibraltar and Spain as an example of how to peacefully co-exist.
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