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🇦🇷 Argentina /Elections & Politics

Oil Companies Operating in the Falklands Tell Milei Sanctions Will Not Halt Project

From La Nación · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Official statement Ongoing story
  • Rockhopper and Navitas Petroleum said their Falklands operations rely on legally granted licenses and continued support from the British government.
  • The companies said measures announced by Argentine President Javier Milei would not significantly affect the Sea Lion project’s development schedule.
  • Milei announced tougher sanctions against foreign companies operating in the islands and plans to build a naval base in Tierra del Fuego.

Rockhopper and Navitas Petroleum responded to Javier Milei within hours of his national address, rejecting the idea that Argentina’s tougher sanctions would derail their plans in the Falkland Islands. The companies said they operate under valid licenses issued by the islands’ government.

The company operates under valid oil licenses, legally granted by the government of the islands, an autonomous British overseas territory, and with the full and continuing support of the United Kingdom government.

· Rockhopper and Navitas PetroleumThe companies defended the legal basis for their Falklands operations in their official statement.

In a joint official statement, the British exploration and production company Rockhopper and Israeli firm Navitas said the licenses were granted legally by what they called an autonomous British overseas territory. They also said the United Kingdom government continued to provide full support.

The companies said recent events would not have a significant effect on development of the Sea Lion project, including its completion schedule. Their response followed Milei’s announcement that Argentina would intensify sanctions against foreign firms operating in the islands.

The recent events will not have a significant effect on the project’s development activities, including the schedule for its completion.

· Rockhopper and Navitas PetroleumThe companies said Milei’s announced measures would not materially change the Sea Lion project’s development timeline.

Milei also announced plans to build a naval base in Tierra del Fuego. In his address, he said the Falkland Islands belonged to Argentina “by history and by right” and pledged to use diplomatic, economic, judicial and legal tools against state and non-state actors that violate Argentine sovereignty.

The Falkland Islands are Argentine, by history and by right.

· Javier MileiMilei reaffirmed Argentina’s sovereignty claim during his national address.

The national address came after U.S. President Donald Trump said twice during the week that Washington could reconsider its historically neutral position on the islands’ sovereignty. The dispute and the companies’ response remain developing.

We will deploy all the tools of the state, diplomatic, economic, judicial and legal, to deter state and non-state actors that violate our sovereignty.

· Javier MileiThe Argentine president described the measures he said the government would use in response to activities in the islands.
About this summary

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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