Javier Milei has given Britain two weeks to halt oil exploration near the Falkland Islands, warning that Argentina could take the dispute to an international court if the project continues.
The Argentine president has ordered his Foreign Ministry and legal teams to begin preparing for international arbitration over the Sea Lion development, accusing the UK of what he described as the “illegal plundering of our resources”.
Milei has also threatened to take the case to the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea if work goes ahead.
Based in Hamburg, the independent tribunal deals with disputes relating to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
At the centre of the dispute is Sea Lion, an oil project involving British and Israeli companies.
The firms behind the development have rejected Argentina’s claims that their work is unlawful and maintain that they are operating under valid licences.
READ NEXT: Israel minister calls for end of ‘UK occupation of Falklands’
Argentina does not recognise that position, continuing to claim sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, which have remained under British control for decades.
Milei has therefore described the project as an “illegitimate exploitation” of resources in territory Argentina considers its own, setting up another point of tension between Buenos Aires and London.
Milei accuses the UN of failing Argentina
Javier Milei has renewed his criticism of the UN over the Falkland Islands, accusing the organisation of failing to make progress on Argentina’s long-standing sovereignty claim.
Speaking at the General Assembly, the Argentine president described the UN as “a useless organisation” that serves “arrogant parasites dressed up as well-intentioned bureaucrats”.
His comments come as the dispute between Argentina and Britain continues, with Buenos Aires referring to the islands as Las Malvinas.
Oil exploration has now added another layer to the dispute, with the Sea Lion field emerging as a particular point of contention.
Located around 130 miles (209km) from the Falklands, it is estimated to contain roughly 1.7 billion barrels of oil.
The project is being developed by Britain’s Rockhopper Exploration and Israel’s Navitas Petroleum, with extraction expected to begin within the next two years.