MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK rejects Argentine protest; supports Falklands’ hydrocarbons industry

The “Ocean Guardian” oil rig currently off the Brazilian coast is expected in the Falklands sometimes mid February

Britain rejected on Wednesday a protest from Argentina over recent decisions from several companies licensed by the Falkland Islands government, to begin drilling in waters surrounding the South Atlantic islands.

“The Falkland Islands government is entitled to develop a hydrocarbons industry in its waters and there is a long-standing policy to support this,” said a spokesperson for the UK Embassy in Buenos Aires, who wouldn’t be named citing government policy.

The spokesperson added that “We have no doubt about our sovereignty over the Falklands Islands and the surrounding maritime area.”

Argentina on Tuesday summoned U.K. embassy officials to issue its “most energetic protest against the imminent start of drilling” near the Falklands, the Foreign Ministry said in an e-mailed statement

“The Foreign Ministry reiterates its sovereign rights over the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands and the sea surrounding them, which form a part of its national territory,” Argentina’s Foreign Ministry said in the statement.

Desire Petroleum has contracted an oil drill “Ocean Guardian”, en route from the North Sea and currently sailing off the coast of Brazil, which will be used to drill several of the company’s planned wells plus a few more for the other companies involved in hydrocarbons exploration in Falklands’ waters.

The companies besides Desire are Falkland Oil and Gas in association with giant BHP Billiton; Rockhopper Exploration and Borders and Southern Petroleum.

The “Ocean Guardian” is scheduled to arrive at Stanley sometime in the third week of February. She is being towed by the Maersk Traveler, a tug ship owned by Copenhagen-based AP Moller Maersk - A/S.

However the British spokesperson watered down the situation by saying that for London, “Argentina is an important partner” with which they have a close and productive relation in a wide range of bilateral and multilateral issues, including the global economic situation, --particularly as members of the G20 group--, human rights, climate change, sustainable development and combating arms proliferation.

“Furthermore we wish to cooperate with Argentina in the South Atlantic in common interest issues such as fisheries. We will continue to work to develop that relation” said the UK embassy spokesperson in Buenos Aires.

Argentina has repeatedly protested efforts to explore for energy deposits off the Falklands. In 2007, then President Nestor Kirchner voided a 1995 oil and gas exploration agreement with the UK that had been suspended for five years.

According to press reports in Buenos Aires the oil exploration drilling dispute could end “at the International Court of The Hague” because otherwise Argentina would be accepting British competence over continental platform areas which she claims a part of its territory.