Escalating Falklands oil brawl goes to UN

Francis Elliott and Hannah Strange & , : {}

The tactful row over the Falkland Islands deepened dramatically after Argentina voiced that it would take the protests over British oil scrutiny to the United Nations today.

At the Rio Group limit in Mexico yesterday, Buenos Aires won rare await from alternative Latin American states for the direct that the UK stop training in waters nearby the islands.

Argentinas Foreign Minister is to encounter the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki Moon. A fortitude is additionally set to be tabled in the UN General Assembly condemning Britain for permitting Ocean Guardian to proceed training 60 miles north of the islands after Argentina annouced new shipping controls. Desire Petroleum, that is handling the rig, has pronounced that the training will take about a month. Further scrutiny is approaching by alternative companies.

David Miliband, the Foreign Secretary, insisted that the scrutiny was entirely inside of general law. But ministers confess secretly that the UK has been scheming for a tactful fight with Argentina for months.

Times Archive, 1982: Fleet assembles for Falklands movement

The Government is convention a naval charge force in reply to Argentina"s physical condition of the Falkland Islands

Cruiser torpedoed by Royal Navy sinks Cheers of ransom at retaking of Goose Green Related LinksHands OffOil scrutiny opens up old woundsResidents mount organisation opposite Argentina

Although both sides played down the awaiting of renewed troops conflict, a supervision source told The Times that a submarine had been done accessible to addition the slight troops presence, nonetheless it is not nonetheless in waters off the Falklands. The Ministry of Defence pronounced that HMS York, a frigate, was approaching to sojourn there for the foreseeable future. The Falklands air defences were sensitively upgraded late last year with the attainment of 4 Typhoon jets.

At the Rio Group summit, Argentina scored a manoeuvre in the fight of difference when 32 heads of state corroborated the bona fide rights . . . in the government brawl with Great Britain. Hugo Chávez, the Venezuelan President, used a radio residence to echo his support, bellowing: Give the Falkland Islands behind to Argentina, Queen of England. But it was the subsidy of countries such as Chile and Brazil that has endangered British diplomats.

Cristina Fernández de Kirchner, Argentinas President, pronounced that Britain had damaged a UN fortitude ominous uneven growth in doubtful waters. She indicted Britain of stand in standards in the office of the islands healthy resources but ruled out any troops rendezvous or try to retard shipping.

British officials pronounced that Gordon Brown and Mr Miliband would wait for for the result of events at the UN prior to determining how to respond. Diplomats in Latin America hold that President Kirchner is utilizing the issue for made at home purposes. This is predominantly a PR campaign, not a vicious authorised or tactful effort, pronounced one.

The US offering Britain usually temperate support. The State Department pronounced that it took no on all sides on the government claims of possibly country.

White House officials contacted by The Times would not be quoted on the brawl not for fright of being drawn in to a tactful showdown but because, as one admitted, it had hardly purebred as a regard for the Administration. A era ago President Reagan was delayed to behind publicly Britains efforts to recapture the islands, but US comprehension valid vicious to British troops success.