MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency
Argentina rejects UK and Israeli oil plans for Malvinas
Argentina intends “to safeguard its sovereign rights and interests,” the Foreign Ministry noted Argentina's Foreign Ministry on Thursday issued a vigorous rejection of a reported “Final Investment Decision” by British company Rockhopper Exploration Plc and Israel's Navitas Petroleum Development and Production Limited regarding the “Sea Lion” oil field in the North Falkland Basin.
Buenos Aires stated that the decision to proceed with hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation off the coast of the Malvinas Islands was made without permission from Argentine authorities, branding the move as “unilateral and illegitimate.”
The Foreign Ministry stressed that any unilateral exploitation of natural resources in areas subject to sovereignty disputes was a breach of international law, specifically citing United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2065 (XX) and Resolution 31/49.
“These instruments recognize the existence of a sovereignty dispute between the Argentine Republic and the United Kingdom and urge both governments to resume negotiations... to reach a peaceful and definitive solution to the controversy,” a statement read.
Resolution 31/49 urges parties to refrain from introducing unilateral changes to the situation while negotiations are pending, the San Martín Palace insisted.
Buenos Aires emphasized that the actions were contrary to Argentine law, which requires proper authorization for any hydrocarbon activities on the continental shelf. In response to previous unauthorized activities, Rockhopper Exploration Plc and Navitas Petroleum were previously declared clandestine and disqualified from operating in Argentina for a period of 20 years because any entities —including companies, financial institutions, service providers, and insurers— that participate in or facilitate these projects will be subject to a full range of administrative, legal, and judicial measures, including sanctions and operational restrictions, it was explained.
Argentina “will deepen its action plan to adopt all additional measures, in accordance with international law, that it deems necessary to safeguard its sovereign rights and interests,” the Foreign Ministry further noted.
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Read all commentsWhen is Argentina going to mature I wonder. This ridiculous mythical claim needs to be stopped. We all know the real intentions of what Argentina truly want. It's not the sovereignty which they know has never been theirs. It is the absolute wealth that surrounds us and that of South Georgia.
Dec 12th, 2025 - 03:14 pm +4Argentina has known about the potential of oil before they even invaded Patagonia and stole an indigenous people's land. They did that to expand their empire with full intentions of expanding in the south West Atlantic.
Today Argentina is in serious financial borrowing debt. Much they have and never will fully repay.
The wealth around our islands is very tempting to them and they want it more than ever.
Well we are and always have been British and no Argentine will ever make us bow down to their piracy.
We will exploit our resources in the way we choose is best and nothing Argentina can do to stop that happening. If they don't like what we do then take the case to the ICJ and get this issue sorted once and for all. We all know that Argentina will not do that because they would loose and they would never accept that result anyway.
Oil exploration around the Falklands has nothing to do with Argentina.
Dec 12th, 2025 - 11:31 am +3You seem to forget Liberato, that the whole of what is currently called Argentina was “ colonized” by Spanish Imperialists. When are you going to give it back to its indigenous people ?
Dec 12th, 2025 - 11:52 am +3Commenting for this story is now closed.
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