Argentina Takes the Falklands Oil Dispute to a Tribunal
Buenos Aires has asked the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea to block drilling at the Sea Lion field, 130 miles from the islands, which holds an estimated 1.7 billion barrels and is due to start pumping in 2028. Britain has separately asked Interpol to reject Argentine arrest warrants against those involved.
The field could triple the islands’ economy for a population of about 3,500, which is why the pressure is escalating on both tracks at once. Argentina has sought “red notices” against people linked to the project, including British nationals; the Foreign Office has written to Interpol’s headquarters in Lyon arguing they are politically motivated, and Interpol has replied that it will respect the article of its constitution forbidding political intervention. The foreign secretary Ed Miliband called the attempts “to intimidate businesses and individuals engaged in legitimate commercial activity… unacceptable”, and the minister Uma Kumaran told MPs this was “economic coercion” and that the filing “does not invalidate licenses issued by the Falkland Islands government”. British officials believe President Milei is picking the fight ahead of elections next year; he has called the United Nations “a useless organisation”. A draft Argentine bill would extend sanctions to shareholders, suppliers and the fishing industry. In the 2013 referendum, three islanders voted against remaining British.