Falkland Islands

• Wednesday, February 17th 2010 - 17:01 UTC

  Falklands drilling will go ahead despite Argentine shipping movement ‘decree’

  

  DRILLING in Falklands waters will go ahead as planned despite an Argentine decree aimed at handicapping shipping movement between the Islands and South America. From London British Foreign and Commonwealth Minister Chris Bryant reiterated that “we have no doubt about our sovereignty over the Falkland Islands and we're clear that the Falkland Islands Government is entitled to develop a hydrocarbons industry within its waters”.

• Wednesday, February 17th 2010 - 03:24 UTC

  Mrs. Kirchner calls UN to force UK to Falklands’ sovereignty negotiations

  

  Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner defended her decision to place stronger controls on navigation and shipping within the Falklands called on the United Nations to force the United Kingdom to come through on negotiations over the sovereignty of that territory.

• Wednesday, February 17th 2010 - 02:05 UTC

  UK stern reply to Argentine intention of controlling Falklands’ sea trade

  

  The Argentine government’s announcement on Tuesday that all cargo navigating between Argentina and Falklands/Malvinas Islands “will require previous authorization” received a quick and energetic response from the British government through its embassy in Buenos Aires.

• Tuesday, February 16th 2010 - 19:30 UTC

  Argentina demands prior approval for vessels sailing to Falklands

  

  The Argentine government made public Tuesday a decree that requires prior approval for ships sailing between Argentina and the Falkland Islands. The approval will be needed for vessels travelling “or carrying goods directly or indirectly” between the mainland and the Islands, announced cabinet chief Anibal Fernandez during a press conference at Government House.

• Monday, February 15th 2010 - 20:13 UTC

  FOGL/BHP Billiton sign deal to drill several wells in East Falklands basin

  

  Falkland Oil and Gas, FOGL announced Monday it signed a deal will Desire Petroleum to use the “Ocean Guardian” rig to drill the first ever exploration well in the East Falklands Basin on the Toroa prospect, which is expected to happen during the first half of 2010.

• Saturday, February 13th 2010 - 03:13 UTC

  Argentina plans “insecurity” for Falklands oil exploration and is tracking the rig

  

  The Argentine government is looking for mechanisms to sanction all those vessels that somehow have participated in the Falkland Islands oil exploration logistics. Operations are set to begin next week with the arrival of the “Ocean Guardian” oil rig.

• Friday, February 12th 2010 - 19:37 UTC

  Falkand Islands: Seismic contractor moves in on unlicensed acreage

  

  AS the Ocean Guardian oil rig is scheduled to arrive in Falklands waters next week, a UK-registered start-up seismic contractor is aiming to carry out a speculative 6,000km multi-client 2D shoot on unlicensed acreage in Falklands waters.

• Friday, February 12th 2010 - 04:41 UTC

  Argentina will take the Falklands’ oil drilling case to United Nations

  

  Argentina will be taking the case of oil exploration in Falkland Islands waters by private companies licensed by the Islands government to the United Nations, but not to the International Court of The Hague as had been suggested since the London/Buenos Aires dispute resumed a few weeks ago.

• Thursday, February 11th 2010 - 19:16 UTC

  Barclays’, Argentina’s debt swap operator accused of oil interests in Falklands

  

  Two Argentine solicitors announced they will be pressing criminal charges against the Ministry of Economy for having contracted Britain’s Barclays’ bank for a major sovereign defaulted bonds swap and this financial institution is “a shareholder of Desire Petroleum, the oil company which is poised to begin exploration operations this month in Malvinas waters”.

• Thursday, February 11th 2010 - 18:08 UTC

  Argentina blocks vessel involved in Falklands operations

  

  Argentina blocked Wednesday a ship from leaving a Techint Group plant after it traveled to the Falkland Islands without government permission, the Argentine Foreign Office said. The “Thor Leader” is docked in Techint’s Campana plant carrying a cargo of 7.099 tons seamless pipes, the government office said in a statement.