Britain's Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has accused Argentina of bullying after it announced on Friday in London that it was starting legal action against companies drilling for oil and gas near the Falkland Islands.
Argentina's Secretary of State for Malvinas Affairs, Daniel Filmus, defended Argentina´s sovereignty rights over the Falkland Islands in a speech he delivered in London condemning UK´s recent decision to increase its military presence in the South Atlantic, outlined the scope of the criminal lawsuit against oil companies 'illegally' operating in Falklands/Malvinas waters and warned of the environmental risks these activities entail.
The Argentine government continues disrespectfully to ignore “our inalienable right to determine our own future” and “develop our economy”, said the elected government of the Falkland Islands in a release responding to Argentine determination to impede the Islands right to develop the hydrocarbons industry and claims about 'militarization' of the South Atlantic.
Argentina's Secretary for Malvinas Islands Affairs, Daniel Filmus will be giving a conference on Friday in London on the Falkland Islands sovereignty dispute with the UK and the current round of oil drilling offshore the Islands, in what Argentina considers its territory.
The Permanent Under-Secretary (PUS) at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Sir Simon Fraser, will step down after five years in the role and leave HM Diplomatic Service at the end of July 2015. He was appointed PUS, taking over from Sir Peter Ricketts, in August 2010.
Uruguay and Brazil foreign ministers Rodolfo Nin Novoa and Mauro Vieira will be meeting this week in Brasilia in yet another attempt to push forward the stalled negotiations for a trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union, according to the minutes of a meeting of the Uruguayan official with members of the Foreign Affairs committee.
British Special forces have carried a raid on the Falkland Islands to test the garrison's security amid fears that Argentina may try to land commandos on the Islands, according to a piece published in the Sunday Express. Apparently such routine exercises are carried out in UK highly sensitive bases and defense compounds.
Addressing the Americas summit in Panama, Argentine president Cristina Fernandez strongly criticized United States policies towards the hemisphere, particularly Venezuela, and expressed 'surprise' at the parallelism between the Caracas/Washington current dispute and the latest round of Falklands' exchanges between London and her government. President Barack Obama was not present during the Argentine leader's speech on Saturday.
Argentine ambassador in London, Alicia Castro complained about being summoned to the Foreign Office over the Falklands/Malvinas Islands dispute revealing she asked the British official if it was “an expression of British humor or a political paradox”, since the UK has failed to comply with international law for the last five decades.
The Argentine government on Monday officially declassified secret files relating to the country's 1982 war with Britain over the Falkland Islands. The Defense Ministry has 30 working days to establish a mechanism for members of the public to consult the records, according to a resolution published in the official gazette.