Britain has appealed to Interpol to reject Argentina’s requests for the arrest of individuals involved in a large oil project off the Falkland Islands. With tensions over the sovereignty of the British overseas territory reaching levels not seen since the war with Argentina in 1982, UK officials have sought urgent assurances from the international organisation. A letter has been sent to Interpol’s headquarters in Lyon arguing that “red notice” requests from Argentina for the arrest of such individuals, including British nationals, should be seen as politically motivated.
It is understood that the UK government is concerned by what sources suggested was an attempt to bully people and companies out of working in the Falklands. An oil project known as Sea Lion in the north Falklands basin in the south Atlantic has the potential to triple the Falklands’ GDP but Argentina’s president, Javier Milei, has vowed to block it. Argentina’s strategy includes attempts to criminalise those involved in Sea Lion and deter other investors.
In its letter, the UK government has urged Interpol to be cautious in its handling of Argentinian requests for detentions, it is understood. Andrea Clausen, the chief executive of the Falklands government, confirmed that the use of Interpol by Argentina was a threat but added: “One would hope that Interpol wouldn’t necessarily take action.” She said: “Certainly those of us who have an interest have had a look at certain sections of Interpol’s constitution to see what we think it could mean.” It is understood that a response from Interpol to the UK government’s correspondence stated that it would respect article 3 of its constitution, which forbids it from undertaking any intervention or activities of a political character. Interpol screens red notices, which are requests to locate and provisionally arrest a person pending extradition.
If circulated to the enforcement agencies, individual member countries then decide whether to act on the requests. Nearly 20,000 were issued last year. The Foreign Office has been approached for comment.
The intensity of the Argentinian menace relating to the Falklands is at a level that UK officials say has not been seen since the war 44 years ago that followed the invasion ordered by Argentina’s dictator Gen Leopoldo Galtieri. The 74-day conflict ended with the surrender of the Argentinian forces and cost the lives of 649 of its military personnel, 255 British military personnel and three Falkland islanders. Argentina continues to claim sovereignty over the 700 islands that make up the Falklands and has dismissed a 2013 referendum in which 99.8% of the islands’ 3,600 residents voted to remain a British territory, with only three votes against.
Despite Interpol’s reassurance about its screening of red notice requests, concerns remain that Argentina could convince the organisation’s member states that its requests are not political but rooted in domestic legislation. Milei has initiated criminal proceedings against the Israeli company Navitas and its British partner, Rockhopper Exploration, which are the core companies in the offshore Sea Lion project. A draft national sovereignty introduced to Argentina’s congress would further expand the scope of sanctions to affiliates of those companies, financial intermediaries, shareholders and suppliers.
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