Argentina Protests to United Nations on British Oil Drilling in Malvinas Waters

A/64/653
General Assembly
Distr.: General
8 February 2010
English
Original: Spanish

Sixty-fourth session (United Nations General Assembly)
Agenda item 23
Question of the Falkland Islands (Malvinas)


Letter dated 3 February 2010 from the Permanent Representative of Argentina to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

On instructions from my Government, I have the honour to transmit herewith a copy of the note of protest dated 2 February 2010 submitted by the Government of the Republic of Argentina to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, rejecting the British attempt to authorize hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation activities in areas of the Argentine continental shelf around the Malvinas Islands under the illegitimate occupation of the United Kingdom (see Annex). I should be grateful if you would arrange for this note and its annex to be circulated as a document of the General Assembly under agenda item 23.

(Signed) Jorge Argüello
Ambassador, Permanent Representative


Annex to the letter dated 3 February 2010 from the Permanent Representative of Argentina to the United Nations addressed to the Secretary-General

2 February 2010

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship of the Argentine Republic presents its compliments to the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and wishes to refer to the drilling activities which are about to begin to the north of the Malvinas Islands.

In this regard, the Government of the Argentine Republic firmly rejects the British attempt to authorize the carrying out of hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation activities in the area of the Argentine continental shelf under illegitimate British occupation.

The unilateral act subject of this protest follows, besides, the succession of British unilateral acts which led the Argentine Government, among other reasons, to terminate as of 27 March 2007 the Argentine-British Joint Statement on “Cooperation on Off-Shore Activities in the Southwest Atlantic” agreed under the sovereignty formula on 27 September 1995, which referred to the exploitation of hydrocarbons in the area subject to the sovereignty dispute.

This new unilateral act by the United Kingdom is incompatible with what has been established by resolutions 2065 (XX), 3160 (XXVIII), 31/49, 37/9, 38/12, 39/6, 40/21, 41/40, 42/19 and 43/25 of the United Nations General Assembly, all of which recognize the existence of the sovereignty dispute referred to as the “Question of the Malvinas Islands” and call on the Governments of the Argentine Republic and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to resume negotiations in order to find as soon as possible a peaceful solution to the dispute. In particular, it is incompatible with resolution 31/49, which calls on the two parties to
refrain from taking decisions that would imply introducing unilateral modifications in the situation while the islands are going through the process recommended by the resolutions of the United Nations.

The Argentine Government reiterates to the British Government all expressions of rejection on this matter, among others the press release of 18 September 1992 against the British unilateral decision to open a tender for prospecting areas of the Argentine continental shelf; the note of 17 December 1992 whereby the Argentine Government reiterated the press release referred to; and the note of 5 October 2000 formally protesting the British attempt to enact legislation on exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons in the areas of the Argentine continental shelf.

The Argentine Republic reaffirms its sovereignty rights over the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia Islands and South Sandwich Islands and the surrounding maritime areas which are an integral part of its national territory.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Worship of the Argentine Republic avails itself of the opportunity to reiterate to the Embassy of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland the assurances of its highest consideration.