The Buenos Aires media revealed late Tuesday that Antonio Brufau, CEO from Repsol-YPF, which has a dominating position in the oil and gas market in Argentina met with top officials from the President Cristina Fernandez administration.
Peru’s former Foreign Affairs minister, Jose Antonio Garcia-Belaunde, says it is unlikely that Peru would back Argentina if there were a new conflict with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, newspaper El Comercio reported.
Lawmaker Ivan Moreira from the ruling coalition junior partner UDI said that Chile should not get involved in the Falklands/Malvinas issue which has to be addressed between Argentina and the UK, and recalled that Chile has its own problem with the coming International Court of Justice dispute with neighbouring Peru.
In a much expected speech President Cristina Fernandez announced a further escalation of the Falklands/Malvinas sovereignty diplomatic dispute with the UK including formal ‘militarization’ complaints before the United Nations, a personal attendance with a delegation from all parties next June 14 to the UN decolonization committee and called on PM David Cameron to “give peace a chance”
“We are well aware that Chile has a different position to us regarding the Falklands and this we understand, but it must be the Islanders who determine their political future, not London, not Buenos Aires or third countries”, said UK ambassador in Chile Jon Benjamin in an interview with the Chilean media.
The meeting between Argentine and Brazilian officials to discuss the new trade legislation implemented by the government of President Cristina Fernandez ended in a “good understanding”, said participants of the Monday meeting.
Argentine President Cristina Fernández is expected to make an announcement related to the Falklands/Malvinas Islands and most probably oil exploration on Tuesday afternoon, reports the Buenos Aires press.
The Falklands don’t need anything from any country, not even England, said Dick Sawle elected member of the Falklands Legislative Assembly, although admitting that the Islands do rely on the UK for protection.
Vice President Amado Boudou brushed aside ‘Repsol-YPF nationalization rumours’ and said Argentina is interested in oil companies that make long term investments and don’t fall prey of short term financial profits.
“Chile’s support to Argentina’s claim over the Malvinas Islands is a state policy for our country” said Chilean Executive secretary Andres Chadwick, but it does not mean any impediment to that “very special relation we have with the UK”.