The Falkland Islands Controversy

The Falkland Islands form an archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean located at 500 kilometers from the coast of Argentina. The claim of the Falklands Islands, opposing Argentina and the United Kingdom, dates back to the 19th century.

Indeed the Falkland’s War started in 1982 by the invasion of the islands by Argentinean troops, which had to surrender 4 months later in June 1982. Since then, each year the Argentina’s government protests against Britain sovereignty over the islands and denounces colonial injustice.

However Falkland Islands countered that they are independent and self-determined. The archipelago thereupon does not want to be part of Argentina neither part of the United Kingdom. Usually it is sufficient to close the discussion.

The arrival of a new exploration rig in the Falklands fed the escalating dispute between the two. Last February 16th Buenos Aires started mandating permits to all boats sailing to Falkland Island through Argentinean Water.

Subsequent seismic surveys corroborate the presence of oil and its surge in price prompted several British companies to start exploration of the area with an offshore rig. Moreover numerous areas have been licensed for development of oil and natural gas research.

Therefore one will expect Argentina to be upset if accessible oil is found.

References:
Aljazeera: UK-Argentina in Falklands oil row
The Economist: Oil and troubled waters