MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Another bill to defend Argentina's South Atlantic interests

A new bill to defend Argentina's interests in the South Atlantic, including the banning for life of companies directly or indirectly involved in “illegal activities”, was presented this week before the Argentine Congress by Chubut province Senator Marcelo Guinle, reports the Buenos Aires press.

The exploration and exploitation of natural and energy resources in Falklands/Malvinas, South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands and surrounding waters "can only be pursued" following conditions established by Argentine law and rules, reads the bill.

Furthermore any company, association or economic group which participates directly or indirectly, ignoring such (legal) conditions, will be banned from all activity in Argentina as well as the direct suppliers to those undertakings, and any person or company acting as technical, economic or financial consultants or advisor of the above mentioned projects.

Congress must take action against those companies which simultaneously to commercial activities in Argentina undertake the "unacceptable fact" of requesting and paying for licences, permits or concessions from British authorities, "ignoring Argentine sovereignty over the Islands", argues Senator Guinle in the bill's presentation.

Following on this "I propose sanctions that not only includes the transgressor directly involved in the exploitation of resources, but also those with some economic or legal link to those companies" and which besides operate in Argentine territory.

"The direct or indirect benefit from those activities is evident and is a circumstance that can not be tolerated, and even less sheltered by Argentine law".

Senator Guinle's bill which, according to the Argentine press, was drafted in consultation with several International Law specialists tries to bring together the different drafts that have been presented during the last few years by "members of all political groups".

Several leading legal experts and Senators, among which Hipolito Solari Yrigoyen, Eduardo Menem and Mario Daniele contemplate the idea of allowing companies with interests in Argentina to undertake "extractive activities" in the conflict area, but based on the Argentine authorization and strict abidance of Argentine legislation, whether they have or not the approval of the "illegitimate government" of the Islands .