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British oil ambitions on Falkland Islands fuel fresh row with Argentina
Published: 20 February, 2010, 08:14
Edited: 27 February, 2010, 17:59
TAGS: Oil, Conflict, South America, UK, Politics
Tensions are mounting over British plans to start oil production near the Falkland Islands. London says drilling will start on Sunday despite Argentina's vehement opposition.
The disputed archipelago is a particularly sore topic for Buenos Aires, after a war was fought for it in the 1980s.
It has been 28 years since British forces swept in to take back the Falkland Islands following an Argentinean invasion. And although nearly 3 decades have passed, the UK once again finds itself at loggerheads with Argentina, with the South American country threatening to stop a British oil rig drilling in disputed waters off the Falklands.
“The Argentinean government firmly denies the claims of the United Kingdom to realize the exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons on the continental platform of Argentina. Moreover the Republic of Argentina reaffirms its rights of sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, which form an integral part of its national territory," reads an official statement from the Argentinean Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Those are fighting words. But it’s a fight Britain can’t afford at the moment.
Britain is currently engaged in a bloody war in Afghanistan, and only last year ended its military operations in Iraq. The army and Royal Marines are stretched to their limits, and can ill-afford to divert precious resources away from current operations, particularly over a struggle for assets more than 8,000 miles away.
The UK's claim on the Falklands, known locally as Las Malvinas, is a massively contentious issue in Argentina. Possession of the islands is something that unites people across the political divide – reason enough, some commentators feel, for the country to start its saber rattling.
"Now the present government in Argentina has difficulties – economic difficulties, the president has lost her government majority in the mid-term election – it’s the usual attempt to deflect away from domestic trouble to something that does unite all the people, and for a while it might work. But if they push it too far, it could backfire very seriously," The Times editorial writer Michael Binyon told RT.
The UK has maintained a sizable military presence in the islands since the conflict in the 1980s, with the hope that it would be enough of a deterrent from an attack again. But with its armed forces under intense pressure elsewhere, some military analysts speculate whether Argentina could be tempted to try to take the islands back again, putting the UK in a difficult dilemma – to pull troops out of where they are already needed, or risk losing the Falklands forever.
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John, The slavery of Falkland Islanders by English colonists must stop immediately and the people of the free World must assist these Islanders to free themselves from English slavery. Get your military out of the Falklands and leave the locals alone because the whole World is watching you enslaving small nations with only few thousands residents. Because of your desire to colonise and enslave nations, the whole World is your enemy. We, the people of the free World will give our 100% support to the freedom of the Islanders.
You are right Bob "British supply lines were vastly long and highly vulnerable". And that is precisely how to defeat them. As for your suggestion that an option exists to destabilize the Argentine economy via shipping blockades etc, would the British really strike at Brazilian cargo ships carrying Argentine cargo to Europe and Asia ? Just as the British gradually drew the US onto their side during WWII, there is no rule that says Argentina cannot do likewise with Brazil ! The solution is obvious and easy. The Argentines interest is in the islands themselves while the British state that their interest is in the welfare of their citizens who presently reside there. These are not mutually exclusive positions. Indeed, in truth, the long-term well-being of the British citizens presently residing on the South Atlantic Islands can only be safeguarded by effectively eventually conceding sovereignty to Argentina (no matter how it is dressed up to save face for the British). Let them lower their flag to drum music if it makes them feel better !
The islanders want to remain british and have lived there since 1833. Even ignoring the some what dubious Argentinian claim to original sovereignty, the current population of islanders aren't to blame for how there relatives got to the islands seven or eight generations ago.
Going back almost 200 years to decide a countries legitimate territory seems entirely arbitrary. The rights of current islanders must hold priority not some supposed wrong suffered to Argentinian pride two centuries removed. If Argentina were to cooperate with Britain instead of confronting it over oil in the falklands, I don't doubt that it could be very prosperous for both of them.