Argentina last night announced it was ending an agreement with Britain to explore for oil near the Falkland Islands in a worrying signal of deteriorating relations as the two countries prepare to mark the 25th anniversary of the conflict over the disputed South Atlantic archipelago.
Argentina decided to end the 1995 agreement after “unilateral” British efforts to drill for oil, the foreign gin: The accord was one of several significant moves by the two countries to build a working relationship in the aftermath of the Falklands conflict.
It was reached in 1995 under British prime minister John Major and Argentine president Carlos Menem.
Mr Menem, who adopted a so-called “policy of seduction” towards Britain between 1990 and 2000, became the first Argentinian head of state to visit Britain since the war, saying his country would never again try to take the Falklands by force and laying a wreath at the Falklands memorial in St Paul’s Cathedral.
But under the current government of President Nestor Kirchner, relations between the two countries, while remaining strong on all other matters, have deteriorated significantly over the Falklands issue.
Mr Kirchner – who comes from Patagonia, the front line of the Argentine military operations during the conflict – has stepped up calls for Britain to discuss the issue of sovereignty, intensifying Argentina’s claims to the islands, populated by 2,900 people of mostly British ancestry.
Under Mr Kirchner, charter flights to the islands from neighbouring Chile have been blocked.
And last year, Argentina criticised a British decision extending fishing licenses from one to 25 years in waters around the Falklands, saying it disregarded Argentina’s territorial claims.
“Argentina is not opposed to co-operating with the United Kingdom, but only if this contributes to renewing dialogue over sovereignty,” Taiana said.
Argentina insists it inherited the Falklands from the Spanish crown before they were occupied by Britain in 1833.
On April 2, 1982, Argentina invaded the islands – called Las Malvinas by Argentines – located about 300 miles (480 km) off its South Atlantic coast. The day is remembered in Argentina as Veteran’s Day.
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