MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Argentina begins legal actions against oil companies operating in the Falklands
The Argentine Government announced on Saturday it had begun the legal proceedings put together with the AFIP tax agency against five British oil companies, accusing them of “carrying out illegal operations” in the Falklands/Malvinas Islands. Read full article
Comments
Disclaimer & comment rulesInteresting article, but to which court will Enarsa be making its case?
Mar 25th, 2012 - 11:07 am - Link - Report abuse 0Bring it on Tin man, we are due another laugh.
Mar 25th, 2012 - 11:10 am - Link - Report abuse 0Shame Arg hasn't got anything better to do with their pesos, I hope they are ready for an expensive counter claim.
I read an interesting opinion piece in La Nacion this morning titled
Mar 25th, 2012 - 11:15 am - Link - Report abuse 0'Argentina angry against the world' which says it all.
The oil companies and banks can join the list after all of Latin America,the US,IMF,UK , the war veterans ,trade unions,shipping lines as well as the people of Ushuaia not to mention the Falklanders.
KFC must either be stupid or have 'iron cojones' to take on everybody at the same time.I think the phrase'give them enough rope ' will soon apply
Exactly who are the RG's going to take say Rockhopper to? Or Falklands Oil & Gas? Neither has any offices in RG Land as far as I'm aware. Its a complete load of bollocks and the RG's know it.
Mar 25th, 2012 - 11:31 am - Link - Report abuse 0Yet again something for internal consumption only.
Another comedy story from Argentina.
Mar 25th, 2012 - 11:37 am - Link - Report abuse 0Highly amusing.
Soooo... where are they going to take this? Argentina doesn't recognise the ICJ so not there. In fact, I can't think of any court that would even bother to hear this case. The bottom line is that Argentina would have to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Falklands are theirs, which, lets face it, they have no chance of doing. I reckon that if the Argentines are going to do this then the Falklanders could easily take Argentina to court for harassment. Just a thought.
Mar 25th, 2012 - 11:38 am - Link - Report abuse 0As I see it Argentina will have to go through the UK legal system since that is where the companies operate from and whose jurisdiction applies to their activities.
Mar 25th, 2012 - 11:57 am - Link - Report abuse 0However and rather clearly they have broken no UK laws.
Who thinks Argentina expects to lose but is simply trying to unsettle investors and/or damage the companies image? Are they trying to cause a run on the company shares?
“AFIP tax agency and the Energy Secretariat” Right an Argentine Government offices and organisations have jurisdiction over companies that are operating outside of argentine territory do they! Lol this is just showing how pathetic argentina's government is, they have no understanding of law and clearly think they have jurisdiction over companies operating within another countries territory and legal jurisdiction. To apply argentine law on these companies would be a breach of international law in itself.
Mar 25th, 2012 - 12:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I would certainly love to see what the prove they claim to have that the companies operations in the falklands is illegal is. In fact, i would love to see what their particulars of claim are and what law and documents they intend to rely on to prove their claim. Personally though all the companies have to do is acknowledge the claim and submit an application disputing argentinas sovereign and legal jurisdiction over them.
Yipes!! - everyone involved with Hydrocarbon Operations off the Falklands are qivering in their boots and panicking in fear and investors poining guns to their own heads!!! We Islanders are all today rushing around screaming in terror and fear!!!
Mar 25th, 2012 - 01:34 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Well after his farce exposure on alleged “militarization” claims that he made at the UN and the ridicule he received for it - what else can you expect from Timmerman but more farce!
I don't think Argentina realise how generally pissed off the average Brit is becoming about their antics.
Mar 25th, 2012 - 01:38 pm - Link - Report abuse 0No British government would even contemplate a discussion about a discussion with Argentine over the Falkland Islands, it would go down in the UK like a large concrete block tied to a 30 ton Iron girder hitting the Atlantic Ocean would.
To that extent we should be grateful to Argentine for guaranteeing that the Falklands will remain British no matter what.
While Argentine is likely to go broke before they've finished their trade war with the UK.
Obvious Kangaroo Court is Obvious.
Mar 25th, 2012 - 02:19 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Amazing that AFIP (Agencia Federal de Ingresos Públicos) the tax collection arm of the Argentine banana republic government is going to get involved in “legal action” against anybody! The director of AFIP, Ricardo Echegaray, is under international investigation for all types of corruption and fraud, including having personal accounts that contain millions of dollars and euros in his name in other countries. Here's a link to news about Ricardo, I couldn't find it in english though:
Mar 25th, 2012 - 02:23 pm - Link - Report abuse 0http://www.ellitoral.com/index.php/diarios/2011/04/09/politica/POLI-04.html
And this is how Crusty Corrrupt Cristina Kirchner stays in power:
http://www.ellitoral.com/index.php/diarios/2011/04/09/politica/POLI-04.html
@12 So they're getting the world's most corrupt person after the entire Kirchner family to sue some companies that don't even operate within their territory.
Mar 25th, 2012 - 02:39 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I wonder if Bolivia is suing companies that operate in Chile because they lost land (Atacama desert) to Chile during the War of the Pacific? Does Bolivia send curious political rugby teams to the land they lost?
I think we need to find out.
The US, EU, and just about everybody else in the world know about Argentina banana republic's way of running the banana game:
Mar 25th, 2012 - 02:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0http://www.state.gov/j/drl/rls/hrrpt/2010/wha/154491.htm
Australia and USA usually hunt down and burn pirate equipment to teach them a lesson, Argentina should follow the anglosaxo's ways to stay on the legal side.
Mar 25th, 2012 - 03:54 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@ 15. What exactly are you going to burn us with? Your flammable halitosis?
Mar 25th, 2012 - 04:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@ 15 your comments are really quite amusing!!! Please keep posting!!!!!!
Mar 25th, 2012 - 04:22 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Would love to see you try prat-hunger :-)
Mar 25th, 2012 - 04:23 pm - Link - Report abuse 0What court are you going to. Surely not only an Argie court that has no jurisdiction or credability :-o
It's always been possible for ENARSA to seek an injunction in the London courts under English law. There might, though, be some question as to why this wasn't done when licenses were bought or any other milestone since.
Mar 25th, 2012 - 04:39 pm - Link - Report abuse 0“Mothers of Plaza de Mayo leader Hebe de Bonafini said it would be the people’s fault if the CFK presidency failed”.
Mar 25th, 2012 - 05:21 pm - Link - Report abuse 0someone else on the govts payroll? Interesting article BTW:
http://www.buenosairesherald.com/article/96307/oil-and-troubled-waters
@20
Mar 25th, 2012 - 06:16 pm - Link - Report abuse 0It's just the way the Iberians do it. They're so cowardly they'd never stand up to take any kind of blame. Generally they:
a) Blame the people and not the ideology or the policies.
b) Blame the junta and not the people.
c) Blame the British and not themselves.
d) Blame the indigenous population and then genocide them.
e) Blame the nuns, and throw them out of planes.
Then they celebrate by getting their hitler youth into the streets celebrating.
I hope that Tinman and the rest of the K government do not ask for any damages. The people who were involved in the Once train wreck (over 700 injured and over 50 killed) have gone to an Argentina judge about going to court for damages (compensation). The judge said that in line with Argentina law, before these people could ask for compensation, they would have to deposit 100 million pesos with the court. Then, I suppose Tin and K would need to deposit a VERY LARGE amount!
Mar 25th, 2012 - 06:17 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Argentinians simply don't care what others think of them. The media only reports what Argentina does and doesn't dicuss its failings regarding its attempts to gain the Islands. Every new attempt is seen a s a great step forward rather than the huge fuss and bother that only takes them sideways at best.
Mar 25th, 2012 - 06:21 pm - Link - Report abuse 019 Doveoverdover “It's always been possible for ENARSA to seek an injunction in the London courts under English law. There might, though, be some question as to why this wasn't done when licenses were bought or any other milestone since.”
Mar 25th, 2012 - 06:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0But in order to take it to the London courts would they first not have to accept the courts authority over the issue? Wouldn't Argentina accepting a UK courts authority of the issue be effectively recognizing UK sovereignty over the islands, therefore defeating the purpose of taking it to the courts in the first place?!
@24 Not at all. The authority of the UK court is over UK/BOT domiciled companies trading on the London Stock exchange. Argentina would simply be asking for an injunction to cease and desist until the legitimacy of the license under which the companies are operating could be proven in an appropriate legal setting. This action would not imply acceptance of British sovereignty. However, unless there was a clear route to resolution of the sovereignty dispute (which there isn't) they wouldn't be likely to have it granted. Which I suppose they know or they would have tried it earlier.
Mar 25th, 2012 - 07:18 pm - Link - Report abuse 0I've convinced myself, if no one else, that this is rather more about muddying the waters ahead of this becoming an international problem for Argentina once a major multinational extraction partner is declared.
So will these companies represent them selves, or will they be appointed and argentine lawyer,
Mar 25th, 2012 - 07:37 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Which court will this be heard in,
And who will pick up the bill for this new style comedy show .
.
The only court the Argies will take this is to an Argie court. There will be no defendant present and as the court has no jursdiction then it will be another waste of Argentine money and a completly futile in hindering eventual oil production in the FI.
Mar 25th, 2012 - 08:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0They are a bit odd in the head these Argies.
@26 First they bring out the kangaroo judge, then they bring out the kangaroo claimant and the kangaroo defendant is in absentia.
Mar 25th, 2012 - 08:33 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Then the kangaroos just jump about and eventually the court rules against the defendant.
That's pretty much how these things pan out.
Anyone else realise that in today's world military might means little? Afghanistan and Iraq is a sure example. Might is best exercised through economics and that is a war the UK will definitely lose. There is no corporation that will engage with that oil if it means being denied the resources of South America. It will become too expensive to sustain the arrogant feelings of colonial entitlement.
Mar 25th, 2012 - 09:06 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Marcos, the new expectative is that companies as KPMG, Coopers, etc; need a certain sovereignty of the land that Malvinas doesn´t have. They have a lot of contracts with Argentina´s Goverment and they don´t want to lost.
Mar 25th, 2012 - 09:21 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@29 Marcos, are you on drugs? You talk about economics and yet your country is completely economically fecked. Your chief economist wears tracksuits to shareholder meetings and apparently has a long list of failures in business, hence his name Tracksuit Boy. I've never heard where he got his PhD. The puppet head of your Central Bank doesn't seem to think that printing money causes a risk of inflation. Like what?? Your country is leaking money in the Billions to swiss bank accounts... and your people are getting poorer and poorer. At the same time the guy who is being groomed to be your next president is finding money to build lots of new hotels?!?
Mar 25th, 2012 - 09:23 pm - Link - Report abuse 0We know you're in Le Hitler Camping but seriously, you should have a look at the plank in your own eye sometimes.
Are you out of your mind?
Mar 25th, 2012 - 09:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0The UK is in the top 10 largest economies of the world.
As for oil, well even if they provided oil to tankers it would still be phenomenally profitable, if you hadn't of noticed oil is become a scarce source and is incredibly valuable, not only that oil companies are afforded protection from the UK government which means, stability and high levels of protection.
It's pure fantasy to suggest that oil around the Falkland islands will not be sought out by oil companies.
As for arrogance the only arrogant people here are those morons in the Argentine government who dare to suggest South American resources will be denied.
I don't know if you've noticed but the UK is heavily invested in South America and isn't getting denied in-fact its investment is welcomed. The recent spat with Peru shows how important the UK is as its second largest investor and also the very public apology and dismay shown by its own people, media and politicians over blocking a warship from docking. It's also effectively ended the career of the person guilty of the action.
Reality is entirely different to your version of events.
@30 Yes, the accountancy companies you mentioned may very well choose not to work with the oil companies. You know what happens then?
Mar 25th, 2012 - 09:41 pm - Link - Report abuse 0a) the accountancy loses all the fees.
b) the accountancy looks very unprofessional.
c) the oil company goes to another accountancy company.
How is that the end of the world? hmm.. you want to tell us?
All this will do is prove that foreign investors should absolutely stay clear of Argentina.
Mar 25th, 2012 - 09:45 pm - Link - Report abuse 0More foreign investment leaves Argentina whilst Argentina gets busy stealing more companies like YPF and any other company with any real assets.
Nice move Argentina......
31, never mind.... WE, argentinians, have 45 Billions USD in privates banks, we don´t need speculates stakehollders as UK, NEVER MIND! ... and to stole land of another country. REPSOL is comming to be a banckrupt company as speculates spanish action (without any investment). On the hand, REPSOL - YPF), SANTANDER BVA BANK are companies that support ETA Terrorist Action (because Bilbao is the unique place that anybody doesn´t pay taxes in Europe.
Mar 25th, 2012 - 10:27 pm - Link - Report abuse 0@31 - “At the same time the guy who is being groomed to be your next president”. As CFK´s son appears to being groomed to be a senator, perhaps HE is the one actually being groomed to be the next president?
Mar 25th, 2012 - 11:53 pm - Link - Report abuse 0http://falklandsnews.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/argentines-with-doubts-about-the-falklands/
Mar 26th, 2012 - 05:47 am - Link - Report abuse 0:-)
Marcos appears to think that there will be no company willing to farm in to take sea lion into production. I say that he ks wrong and am willing to gamble my pressence on Mercopress. You will find that Marcos declines.
Mar 26th, 2012 - 05:51 am - Link - Report abuse 0Iraq - Sadam removed
Afghanistan - Al Qaeda training camps removed and OBL now dead
Kosovo - Serbia defeated. Milosovic removed (now dead) and Serbia now democratic and wanting EU membership.
Sierra Leone - Rebels removed/killed and country now at peace.
Libya - Gadaffi defeated and eventually Lynched.
All acheived through military action.
This type of action cannot end well for Argentina. It's another example of misunderstanding how the world works. Can they not see the consequences of such action? They are already taking measures to stop capital flight (and failing) - this will only increase it. As it is CFKs second term I can only assume it is related to efforts to change the constitution so that she can stand for president again. It can't achieve anything beyond domestic politics.
Mar 26th, 2012 - 08:07 am - Link - Report abuse 0Surely the title of this article should read:
Mar 26th, 2012 - 09:36 am - Link - Report abuse 0“Argentina begins illegal actions against oil companies operating in the Falklands”
Kippers - that 45bn you claim would work out at only $1000 per Argie. Last of the big spenders :-)
Mar 26th, 2012 - 09:45 am - Link - Report abuse 0#3 My Queen does have iron cojones, and although it wasn't her who picked all these fights I believe she will pull through this tough time and beat the destabilisation attempts of the 1% and their dupes.
Mar 26th, 2012 - 09:46 am - Link - Report abuse 0#20 It doesn't give any context to that quote. If what the heroic leader of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo meant was that Cristina is the people's champion and they should make sure she is not ousted by the people's enemies, then I agree with that. Interesting too in that article to see Moyano attacking Cristina as “Soviet”, showing this isn't a usual labour dispute with the union man representing the workers best interests, but giving the game away that this old Lopez Vega protege is part of the right wing destabilisation attempts.
#39 Don't know how their related, but I certainly hope my Queen is going for a 3rd term, she is the far more than someone who just governs and the people should not be prevented from keeping her on by a law designed for less transformational politicians
She was beheaded by the hero Perseus, who thereafter used her head as a weapon ... With snakes for hair— hated of mortal man— ... The triple form is not primitive, it is merely an instance of a general tendency.
Mar 26th, 2012 - 11:01 am - Link - Report abuse 0@42 British Kirchnerist
Mar 26th, 2012 - 02:40 pm - Link - Report abuse 0You're a failed human being.
#43 Your talking about Medusa right? Whats the relevance?
Mar 26th, 2012 - 04:00 pm - Link - Report abuse 0#44 I'm a failed human being because I oppose the junta and support the progressive government they tried to render impossible, through physical destruction of the left?! Or anotherreason; if so, what?
No relevance?
Mar 26th, 2012 - 05:15 pm - Link - Report abuse 0just how one sees her,
you [she is a queen]
to
us
she is a very nasty lady, and looks like she has snakes on her head.
the resemblence is purly astrinomical .
@45 I suspect he was referring to the fact you support a political group that claim to be aiming for social justice but really spend most of their time lining their own pockets with swiss numbered accounts and new hotels in southern argentina.
Mar 26th, 2012 - 07:11 pm - Link - Report abuse 0That was clearly the point, not sure how you missed it.
so simple
Mar 26th, 2012 - 08:56 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Marcos- you are almost as delusional as CFK and Timmeramn if you think no company will touch the Falklands because it will be so scared of loosing any future business in Argentina and S America!
Mar 26th, 2012 - 09:13 pm - Link - Report abuse 0It has NOT stopped foreign fishing companies from operating and investing here - despite Arg legal threats over several years now!
Please remind yourself - in 1945 Arg WAS the biggest and most powerful economy in S America.
In 2012 the Argentine economy - is worth just the same as the mere city zone of Sao Paolo in Brazil. Before long Arg will be rapidly overtaken by Chile and Peru also.
Also several of the companies on Timmerman s list ceased to exist a few years ago!! He is not even up to date is he?
@49 There isn't anything up-to-date or technically savvy about Mr Timmerman. He's all about the badly-presented powerpoint filled with ancient info or just plain ignorance.
Mar 27th, 2012 - 09:14 am - Link - Report abuse 0If the K regime sue in London, they will run up a huge legal bill and get nowhere. If they sue in Argentina, they will doubtless win, but will then have to run up a huge legal bill in going to the London courts to try to get their money - and they will again get nowhere. The only winners will be rich London lawyers, who must be rubbing their hands at the thought of all those fees! Thank you Argentina for subsidising the UK economy!
Mar 27th, 2012 - 03:02 pm - Link - Report abuse 04pm and Borders and Southern are up 5%......all the shareholders are quaking in their shoe's...........Go on Tin-pants man, huff and puff because it a brickwall that you are up against and you built it yourself with your utterly stupid statements !
Mar 27th, 2012 - 03:02 pm - Link - Report abuse 0a land of liers .
Mar 27th, 2012 - 07:36 pm - Link - Report abuse 0Please watch this short educational video on Argentina - it's hilarious...
Mar 31st, 2012 - 12:37 am - Link - Report abuse 0Malvinas vs Falklands: Negotiations with the U.N.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vys78sGB7Y
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