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Montevideo, March 28th 2024 - 09:45 UTC

 

 

“Falklands has a right to oil exploration”, letter in The Times

Wednesday, March 3rd 2010 - 22:45 UTC
Full article 8 comments
Ms Sukey Cameron, FIGO representative in London Ms Sukey Cameron, FIGO representative in London

Licences to drill for oil in Falkland Islands territorial waters were issued by the Falklands’ government, not by London, and Islanders are entitled to do this by the terms of the Joint Declaration over Oil issued by the Argentine and British governments in 1995, said Falklands Government Representative in London Sukey Cameron.

On February 25 The Times printed a letter from Ms Cameron in rebuttal of assertions made earlier by an Argentine contributor to the newspaper’s letters page, Dr. Celia Szusterman, “Future of the Falklands”, Feb. 23.

The letter in full follows:
 

Falklands has right to oil exploration

Sir, Celia Szusterman presents a confused and partial analysis of the situation over oil exploration in Falklands waters (“Future of Falklands”, letter, Feb 23). First, it was the Falkland Islands government (which Argentina consistently refuses to recognize) that granted the exploration licences. We are fully entitled to do this in our own territorial waters. This right was recognized by Argentina and the UK in the 1995 Joint Declaration over Oil.

The declaration stated the full claim by each side to the territory involved and was to allow Falklands’ oil exploration to go ahead in Falklands waters as defined by the fishing zones — effectively with the agreement of the Argentine Government and without interference or government involvement by it. The first round of exploration duly went ahead in 1998 on these terms. The agreement also designated an area straddling the border of the Falklands’ designated area as a special co-operation area to be exploited jointly.

A further licensing round in the Falklands took place in 2001 and ended in 2005; again within the terms of the 1995 agreement: so there is no question of a “unilateral decision to grant exploration rights”, as Dr Szusterman implies.

It was not until March 2007 (not 2005), that the Argentine Government unilaterally repudiated the 1995 agreement. To use Dr Szusterman’s words, “it signaled that co-operation over oil, fisheries, conservation and other matters should be steps in a path that must lead to talks on sovereignty.”

People may be forgiven for thinking that this announcement, on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the Argentine invasion and when the licensed companies had already invested two years’ work, was carefully planned to disrupt the exploration process and “revive the old cause”.

Argentina is attempting to achieve by economic sanctions what it failed to achieve by military means. It has withdrawn co-operation on fishing conservation and environmental protection. It has threatened sanctions against companies holding licences to fish in Falklands’ waters and tried to exclude Falklands Islands’ representatives from participating at international fish conservation conferences. Now it is attempting to disrupt oil exploration.

On one point I agree with Dr Szusterman’s analysis. It is time that Argentina recognized the Islanders and their democratically elected government. We are no longer a British colony but a self-governing overseas territory with full rights of self-determination. We have chosen to remain British citizens.

We have no desire to be colonized by Argentina, which refuses to recognize our Government or our right to determine our own future, but simply wants to seize our homeland, where we have lived for nearly 180 years. We will not be bullied into submission.
 

Sukey Cameron,
Representative Falkland Islands Government
London SW1

 

Top Comments

Disclaimer & comment rules
  • jorge

    Go away pirates!

    Let me guess, if someone comment after me, they will be the piracy supporters criticizing me.

    Mar 03rd, 2010 - 11:48 pm 0
  • Rhaurie-Craughwell

    YAAAAHARR YO HO HO AND A BOTTLE OF RUM, THAR BE TREASURE IN DEM FALKLANDS ME HEARTIES HAR HAR!

    Mar 04th, 2010 - 01:36 am 0
  • Hoytred

    Thar be monsters too ........ over the horizon.

    Mar 04th, 2010 - 01:42 am 0
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