Argentina summons UK, Israeli ambassadors over Falklands oil project

Argentina summoned the ambassadors of the United Kingdom and Israel and handed them notes of protest over the Sea Lion oil development project near the Falkland Islands.

Buenos Aires also condemned guidance issued by London for companies operating on the archipelago, in which the UK expressed support for economic activity on the islands and stated that Argentina has no right to extend its jurisdiction to the Falklands or companies associated with them, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media.

Argentine authorities said they were prepared to tighten sanctions against companies linked to the project and draft relevant legislative measures.

The Falkland Islands, known in Argentina as the Malvinas, have been the subject of a long-running sovereignty dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom, with the UN formally recognising the dispute and repeatedly calling for a peaceful, negotiated settlement.

Argentina maintains its claim to sovereignty, while the UK has administered the islands since 1833, apart from the Argentine occupation during the 1982 Falklands War, and maintains that sovereignty rests with the UK.

The dispute also involves the principle of self-determination: the UK emphasises the islanders’ right to determine their political status, while Argentina argues that the dispute is fundamentally a territorial sovereignty issue to be resolved between the two governments.

The issue has remained unresolved for decades and continues to affect questions involving the islands’ natural resources, maritime jurisdiction and economic activities.

By Jeyhun Aghazada