The Argentine Foreign Ministry denied in a statement released on Thursday that Buenos Aires sea port authorities threatened Bermuda registered 'Queen Victoria' Cunard cruise ship with hefty fines if it did not lower its “red duster” flag, the ensign for the United Kingdom merchant vessels.
The cross-party delegation of Uruguayan parliamentarians currently visiting the Falkland Islands appear quite unmoved by what their leader Jaime Trobo described as the “dust storm” that their visit had created both at home in Uruguay and in neighbouring Argentina.
According to reports in the British media, Cunard's 'Queen Victoria' was warned it faced hefty fines if the cruise continued to fly the red ensign while in the port of Buenos Aires. This has led to a strong reaction from the Foreign Office which described the incident as an 'unacceptable example of harassment and intimidation” and anticipated it will be raising the incident with the Argentine authorities.
Minister of State for the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Rt. Honourable Hugo Swire currently making his first visit to the Falklands reiterated on Wednesday his previously expressed opinion that the attitude of the present Argentine government towards the Islands denies to the people of Argentina an opportunity for economic growth as well as denying the fundamental right of self-determination to the population of the Islands.
Argentina's YPF agreed on Wednesday to pay 852 million dollars for all of Apache operations and assets in the country, making the government managed company the largest operator of natural gas.
Argentina's inflation in January climbed to 4.61% and 30.78% in the last twelve months according to the average from private consultants estimates which are released every month by opposition lawmakers in what is known as the 'Congressional index'.
Scientists have demonstrated a new method for counting whales from space. It uses very high-resolution satellite pictures and image-processing software to automatically detect the great mammals at or near the ocean surface.
The visit of four Uruguayan lawmakers to the Falkland Islands is receiving ample coverage from the Argentine media particularly the intention of closer links between Montevideo and the Islands including the possibility of sending Uruguayan manpower as well as promoting trade, tourism, culture and social relations
It is not clear where the government commanded by Argentine president Cristina Fernández is heading to, Economy Minister of neighboring Uruguay Mario Bergara affirmed saying the economic ups and downs in Argentina have deeply impacted on Uruguayan exports, tourism and real estate activities.
Argentina fisheries exports reached 1.495 billion dollars last year which represents an 11.3% increase in value and 14.9% in volume compared to 2012, according to a report from the private consultant Investigaciones Economicas Sectoriales, IES. Squid played a leading role by doubling catches in 2013 with an extended season.