The Falkland Islands Government notes the update provided by Premier Oil today (Thursday) regarding the progress of the Sea Lion oilfield development in the North Falkland Basin, and “supports the proposed phased development concept which will help mitigate local infrastructure and capacity pressures during peak development activity”.
Leaders of some of Argentina's most important business groups praised the meeting held in Rio Gallegos with president Cristina Fernandez, where the head of state spoke with representatives of companies, banks and unions for more than three hours.
Argentina approved a contract to purchase railway equipment from a Chinese firm, said the government gazette. The contract was signed by the Argentine Ministry of the Interior and Transportation and the Chinese firm CSR Qingdao Sifang Co, Ltd on May 23, 2013 and officially approved with Administrative Decision 584/2013.
Argentina's trade surplus shrank by 40% in July from a year earlier as surging fuel and auto imports increased pressure on President Cristina Fernandez government's system of currency controls. However the unemployment rate in the second quarter fell to 7.2% according to official data.
YPF, the energy company in which Argentina holds a majority stake said its next shale oil and gas partnership will be with a group including China’s Cnooc. A deal is expected to be signed sometime next month.
Chilean president Sebastián Piñera has instructed Foreign minister Alfredo Moreno to immediately contact Argentine authorities following the decision by the government of President Cristina Fernandez ordering Lan Chile to move out from the metropolitan airport of Aeroparque in Buenos Aires.
The Brazilian government has expressed concern that some hotels listed on FIFA website for the 2014 World Cup plan significant price increases during the tournament. Brazil’s tourism board, Embratur, is said to have notified the justice ministry after its research showed that rates will be up to 500% more expensive during the World Cup in some hotels offered by the MATCH Services agency on FIFA website.
The conflict between the administration of President Cristina Fernandez and the powerful Clarín media Group CEO Héctor Magnetto crossed the Atlantic and reached UK newsstands as British daily The Guardian published an article on Argentina’s Media Law.
Vice-president Danilo Astori said he was surprised at the way events unfolded ending with the decision from the Royal Bank of Canada of leaving Uruguay, but also concerned about the international impact of such a move, triggered by a ‘disorderly’ raid in its offices.
Former minister and ex-presidential hopeful Roberto Lavagna warned that the Argentine economy is going through “the worst scenario possible” since the market has already adapted to the devaluation of the Peso, but the government of President Cristina Fernandez in its fantasy refuses to acknowledge it.