British ships banned from Buenos Aires

[KABAVAKO]

Argentina's President Cristina Fernandez Kirchner

Argentinean lawmakers have passed legislation that bans British-flagged vessels from “mooring, loading, or carrying out logistical operations” in ports in Argentina’s largest province.

Under the legislation, vessels involved in exploration and exploitation of natural resources in waters around the Malvinas Islands will also be banned from docking or undertaking any other operations at the Buenos Aires province’s ports.
“This law is a tool in place to continue advancing step-by-step in the fight for sovereignty of natural resources in the Malvinas Islands”, said Patricia Cubr?a, an Argentinean lawmaker.

In December last year, the Argentinean government also secured the support from member countries of the Southern Common Market, including Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay, which agreed to ban Malvinas-flagged ships from stopping at their ports.

Moreover, earlier this year in March, Argentina launched tax investigations through its Federal Administration of Public Incomes to discourage British oil firms’ operations in waters around the Malvinas islands.

The disputed islands, located 250 nautical miles from Argentina, have been under British rule since 1833 and still remain on the UN Special Committee on Decolonization list of areas awaiting liberation.

Dispute over the sovereignty of the Malvinas islands between Britain and Argentina has become heated recently with Argentina calling for negotiations and Britain ruling out the possibility for negotiations.