From: David Sangurima <sangu@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: soc.culture.latin-america
Date: 27 Sep 92 21:54 PDT
Subject: IPS:Argentina Warns UK:Falklands
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1473800320:000:3711
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!sangu    Sep 27 21:54:00 1992


From: David Sangurima <sangu>
Subject: IPS:Argentina Warns UK:Falklands

/* Written 12:09 am  Sep 25, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
/* ---------- "ARGENTINA: EXPLOITATION OF FALKLAND" ---------- */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Reference: Energy; United Nations
Title: ARGENTINA: EXPLOITATION OF FALKLAND OIL DEPOSITS WILL BE DENIED


buenos aires, sep 22 (ips) -- argentina warned tuesday that it
would not permit britain to exploit oil deposits off the falkland
islands (malvinas), unless the political dispute between the two
countries which erupted sep. 21 at the 47th u.n. general assembly
was first resolved.

the warning was contained in a statement made from new york
by argentina's foreign minister guido di tella during an interview
with a buenos aires radio station. he is in new york to attend the
47th u.n. general assembly.

the emerging crisis was outlined by di tella during his speech
at the united nations monday, in which he described britain's
decision to authorise two companies to carry out oil prospecting
in the falkland islands (malvinas) archipelago as ''imprudent.''

di tella told the assembly that the archipelago had been an
area of dispute between argentina and britain for more than a
century, and therefore britain's granting of oil prospecting
licenses was inappropriate.

britain's alternate ambassador to the united nations, thomas
richardson, replied that the british government ''has no doubt
about its sovereignty over the british dependencies in the south
atlantic.''

shortly before his tuesday meeting with british foreign
secretary douglas hurd in new york, di tella said britain's
decision on oil prospecting had interrupted ''complicated and
difficult negotiations'' in search of a bilateral agreement on
oil prospecting.

this british attitude, said di tella, did not help bring
investments to the archipelago, because it was an area under
litigation.

he said ''there will be no development of oil resources in the
islands if there is no political solution to the conflict'' which
emerged as a result of britain's unilateral decision on oil
prospecting.

despite this ''disgraceful'' episode, di tella said,
argentina's relations with britain were ''very cordial.''

he added, ''british investments in argentina are very big.
the english are in very good position with respect to some of
the remaining privatisation programmes, and will probably
obtain a substantial portion.''

this was in reference to the massive de-nationalisation
of major government-owned companies, some of them involving
public services, launched by the government of president
carlos menem. (more/ips)


argentina: exploitation (2)

if this were to happen, he said, the ''pro-argentina lobby''
in london of some british companies would be reinforced.

britain and argentina re-established diplomatic relations in
1990, following an eight-year interruption caused by the 1982
war for possession of the falkland islands (malvinas).

the two countries resumed diplomatic links after agreeing
to keep the thorny issue of sovereignty over the islands
under a so-called ''umbrella arrangement,''--that is, not to
permit the sovereignty issue to affect other negotiation aspects.

di tella said that argentina's objection to britain's granting
of oil prospecting licenses ''did not affect the umbrella
arrangement.''

according to argentina's foreign minister, either of the two
countries can prospect for oil, or exploit the oil deposits,
without necessarily contradicting the ''umbrella arrangement'',
on the sovereignty issue. (ends/ips/tr/sp/ip/mv/ug/it)