UK and Argentina clash over Falklands oil project at tribunal

Summarised from 4 outlets · Updated 10 Nov, 12:14 · Archive

Argentina is challenging UK plans for oil exploration near the Falkland Islands at an international tribunal hearing on Tuesday.

Argentina is challenging the UK's involvement in the Sea Lion oil development at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea in Hamburg. The tribunal, established under a UN convention, will hear Argentina's request for provisional measures on Tuesday, with the hearing expected to last two days.

The Sea Lion development is a joint venture between British company Rockhopper Exploration and Israeli company Navitas Petroleum, located approximately 130 miles north of the Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean. It contains an estimated 1.7 billion barrels of oil. Argentina's President Javier Milei has previously described the activities as unlawful and called the project a 'clear and present danger'.

The UK Prime Minister's official spokesman said Britain was 'fully engaged in the UNCLOS process' and would 'robustly defend our interests and those of the Falkland Islanders'. The spokesman stated that the hearing was 'not about the sovereignty of the Falklands' and that the Falkland Islanders have the right to develop their natural resources. He added that 'Argentina's initiation of proceedings does not itself require lawful economic activity to cease'.

How it is being reported

• Argentina calls on international court to BLOCK oil exploration off Falklands over 'illegal scheme'Argentina has called on an international court to block oil exploration off the Falklands Island amid Buenos Aires's fury over the Sea Lion oil project. During a hearing at the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (Itlos) in Hamburg, the Argentine Government's lawyers claimed the UK had acted illegally to give the green light for the joint British-Israeli venture to go ahead. Israeli firm Navitas Petroleum owns a 65 per cent stake in Sea Lion, while British company Rockhopper Exploration owns the remaining 35 per cent. Lying around 136 miles north of the Falklands in the South…GB News · 10 Nov, 14:54
• UK and Argentina clash over Falklands oil project as Hamburg tribunal startsSea Lion project in the North Falkland basin threatens to deepen sovereignty dispute Argentina has told an international tribunal that Britain’s approval of oil drilling off the Falkland islands has dramatically deepened a sovereignty dispute that led to war four decades ago. At the start of an historic legal clash at the Hamburg-based International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (Itlos), an Argentine legal team argued that the oil project must be suspended. Continue reading...The Guardian · 10 Nov, 14:49
• Andy Burnham vows to 'defend our interest' as Argentina takes Falklands oil project row to tribunalArgentina has launched a legal dispute against the UK for its joint venture with an Israeli oil company following the country's president Javier Milei giving Britain a two-week deadline to scrap the Sea Lion oilfieldThe Mirror · 10 Nov, 11:50
• UK and Argentina clash over Falklands oil project as Hamburg tribunal prepares to hear disputeAndy Burnham says UK doesn’t ‘accept Argentina’s characterisation’ of situationThe Independent · 10 Nov, 05:26

In this story: Argentina · United Kingdom · Falkland Islands · Javier Milei · International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea · Rockhopper Exploration · Navitas Petroleum

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