Argentina's threats to ships travelling to the Falklands and South Georgia.

[Catherine Quick]

(Sources: http://news.bbc.co.uk and http://www.falklands.gov.fk)

A permit will now be needed by ships using Argentine waters en route to the Falklands, South Georgia or the South Sandwich Islands. This row seems to have been caused by the planned oil drilling which will take place next week. The waters surrounding the disputed islands are considered by the UK to be part of the British Overseas Territories.

Buenos Aires claims sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, which it calls Islas Malvinas and believes the UK is illegally occupying the Falklands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. It has previously threatened that any company exploring for oil and gas in the waters around the territory will not be allowed to operate in Argentina. On Tuesday, Argentine President Cristina Fernandez signed a decree requiring all vessels travelling between Argentina and the islands, or those wanting to cross Argentine territorial waters en route to the Falklands, to seek prior permission. Last week, a ship carrying drilling equipment was detained by Argentine officials. This is due to be discussed in the UN assembly next week.

In Gordon Brown's New Years message to the Falkland Islands reinforced the view of the government stating that "potential revenues from [oil] expoitation will not feature in the Islands’ economic planning unless and until commercially viable reserves are discovered. See the full message at:
http://www.falklands.gov.fk//documen...t%205Feb10.pdf. He also added that there are “no doubts about United Kingdom’s sovereignty over the Falkland Islands and that the principle of self determination underlies this.”

Chairman of the Parliamentary all-party Falklands group, Sir Nicholas Winterton, said the Argentine decree was "pathetic and useless" and designed simply to try to impede the economic progress of the islands.

Jan Cheek, a member of the Falklands' Legislative Assembly and a member if the board of Trustees for Falklands Conservation, told BBC Radio 5 live the new controls were part of a "continuing irritation for us".

"While, of course, Argentina is free to do what it wants in its territorial waters, I don't think they have any right to interfere in ours," she said.

She added Argentina had in the past "interfered" by refusing charter flights heading to the Falklands through its air space, and stopping fishing and cargo vessels.

"It's more of the same and we come to expect it when Argentina's government are experiencing difficulties at home. We're a very convenient distraction."

Parliamentary Falkland Islands Group secretary Andrew Rosindell said "Argentina needs to behave like a modern democratic nation" and recognise "there is no way that any British government will concede sovereignty over the islands or the water around the islands".