Argentina's Foreign Ministry has expressed its “outright rejection” of an announcement made by British firm Rockhopper Exploration PLC and Isarel's Navitas Petroleum that the firms intend to explore undersea drilling close to the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands.
The two firms announced an intended “Final Investment Decision” to start the development of the Sea Lion field, located in the North Malvinas Basin, off the Malvinas Islands, without the authorisation of Argentine competent authority.
Argentina's government reminded the parties that any exploration or unilateral exploitation of natural resources in areas subject to sovereignty dispute resolutions 2065 (XX), 31/49 and other related regulations of the United Nations, which acknowledge the dispute between Argentina and the United Kingdom and urge both parties to refrain from making unilateral modifications while a negotiated solution remains pending.
The Foreign Ministry rejected any acts related to moving forward with the production stage, from the adoption of islander regulations to the hiring of suppliers, stating they are “unlawful activities incompatible with the Argentine legal system,” especially Laws 26,659 and 26,915, which ban any operation on the continental shelf without any national permission.
A press statement recalled that both companies had already been sanctioned: Rockhopper was declared clandestine and suspended for 20 years by 2012 and 2013 resolutions, whereas Navitas got equivalent sanctions in 2022 for operating without any authorisation.
The Foreign office warned that any individual or entity directly or indirectly involved in these enterprises would be exposed to administrative, legal and judicial measures, including operating restrictions, disqualifications and legal action in national and international venues.
The government stated that the new announcements amount to a “unilateral act with future potentially irreversible effects,” since they involve non-renewable resources, and it claimed that it would further its action plan to adopt any necessary measures in accordance with international law.
Finally, Argentina reasserted its sovereign rights over the Malvinas, South Georgia, South Sandwich Islands, and the surrounding maritime space.
– TIMES/NA
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