Argentine foreign minister Susana Malcorra has announced that Argentina has definitive international support for its defined continental shelf limits, with the exception of the Falklands/Malvinas, South Georgia, in dispute with the UK, and those covered by the Antarctic Treaty, which are not considered by the UN because of a sovereignty litigation or an international treaty.
By Osvaldo N Mársico (Chairman of COPLA) (*) - In my capacity as the head of the COPLA National Committee on Argentina’s Continental Platform at the Foreign Ministry, I would like to refer to the letter of Professor Peter Willets published last Saturday (Mercopress) concerning the outer limit of the Argentine continental shelf and clarify some mistakes and misconceptions evident in Professors Willets’ letter.
By Professor Peter Willetts, South Atlantic Council (*) - The Argentine Foreign Ministry announced on 28 March 2016 that it had gained international recognition of a claim to an exceptionally large continental shelf. But they were mistaken. Argentina had made a submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) on 21 April 2009 to claim sovereignty rights over the resources of the sea-bed.
A strong controversy is expected following statements from Chilean officials who downplayed the significance of the recent UN continental shelf maritime extension referred to Argentina and which included the Falklands, South Atlantic Islands and Antarctica territory.
British PM David Cameron told Argentine president Mauricio Macri that the “Malvinas question will be included” as part of the bilateral talks with Argentina, according to Argentine foreign secretary Susana Malcorra. Apparently before Macri returned to Argentina Friday night from the nuclear security summit in Washington, he held a 'brief encounter' on request from PM Cameron.
A Gibraltarian expert on self determination has rubbished Argentine claims that the decision by a UN Commission to extend Argentina's continental shelf to include the waters that surround the Falklands and South Georgia will be key in the dispute with Britain over the Islands.
By Lisa Watson (*), published in The Telegraph - Having a neighbor like Argentina is like living next door to your stalker – someone who terrorizes you but then tearfully berates you for rejecting their advances.
A statement released earlier this afternoon from the Falkland Islands Government regarding the UN announcement of the extension of the Argentine continental shelf states that the announcement makes “no adjudication on the sovereignty of the Falkland Island and has no implications for the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands”.
Lawmaker from president Mauricio Macri ruling “Let's Change” group, Eduardo Amadeo, celebrated the UN recognition of Argentina's continental shelf extension presentation which means a strong support in the Malvinas Islands' sovereignty dispute with the UK, but also increased the country's territory by at least 35%.
The Falkland Islands Government, FIG, reacted to the Tuesday official Argentine announcement of its extension of the continental shelf saying it was waiting clarification from the UK government on the implications, if any for the Islands. What is certain is that it does not affect fisheries or squid catches, one of the Islands main source of income.