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Oil hopes rise as submarine arrives in Falklands
As rumours fly that oil drilling is a success, UK tabloids seem ready for war with Argentina
Investors have sent the share prices of companies drilling for oil off the Falkland Islands soaring in response to rumours prospecting has paid off, while – according to one report – a British nuclear submarine has arrived in the islands.
The stock of Desire, Rockhopper Exploration and Falklands Oil & Gas – three of the firms prospecting in the North Falkland Basin – rose by between 2 and 11 per cent by the close of trading yesterday. An oil rig, towed from Scotland, arrived in the region last month and began drilling to establish the size of oil reserves previously prospected around the islands in the 1990s. All three firms – and others – plan to use the rig.
Meanwhile, according to a report in the Sun newspaper, the submarine HMS Sceptre (pictured above off Gibraltar) has arrived in Falklands waters after a three-week journey. The Ministry of Defence refused to confirm the report for security reasons, saying, "We do not comment on submarine operations."
Whether or not the Navy is mounting a military build-up in the area, there is certainly a rhetorical escalation taking place in the press. The Sun piece takes a jingoistic tone, boasting that: "She has five torpedo tubes capable of firing the dreaded Spearfish - the heavy, wire-guided anti-ship torpedoes used by the Royal Navy that could wipe out any ship or submarine that comes within miles of the islands." The report avoids mentioning the fact that it is the Royal Navy's oldest vessel.
The newspaper – infamous for it's 'Gotcha!' headline on the sinking of the Belgrano during the Falklands War - also quotes an anonymous 'source' as saying: "The mere fact she is lurking somewhere in the waters around the islands will strike fear into the hearts of any possible enemy."
The Sun has previously reported the arrival in the Falklands of two Royal Navy ships, claiming the Navy had put them on special assignment in light of Argentina's outraged reaction to the drilling. The MoD, however, says the ships are part of a routine military presence always maintained around the islands.
On 25 February, the paper gleefully reported an "Argie" warship had been "sent packing" by HMS York after it strayed into British waters, before admitting more soberly that her crew had made an "innocent navigational blunder" and "were embarrassed" when the British ship radioed them to say they were only 10 miles into UK seas.
Earlier this month, though, deputy Labour leader Harriet Harman said the islands would be "fully defended" and reiterated that there was "no question" over their British sovereignty. And whatever the truth of the UK military presence around the islands, there is no doubt Argentina is taking civilian measures in response to the drilling.
Argentine MPs are about to debate a bill which would give companies with ties to the Falklands 30 days to cut them, or get out of Argentina. Barclays was mentioned as a target – the banking group has shares in Desire Petroleum. ·
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There are NO 'British'. There are however English, Scottish, Welsh and Irish. As for the government sending a submarine to the Malvenas it's absolutely disgraceful. This is not OUR oil. It belongs to the indigenous peoples of the area - and that grouping certainly DOESN'T include descendants of our small island living on the Malvenas. Or rather illegally occupying the Malvenas. Argentina has every right to defend it's own territories by force if necessary. No more than any other country. (Un) Suprisingly this particular issue does seem to draw out supporters/members of the BNP/NF/EDL et al to make ridiculous and assinine nationalist comments.
Of course the British people are not a race. British people are people who are born in Britain,. and some others who are born in foreign countries of British parents. What this has to do with sending the Royal Navy to defend British (oil) interests in the Falklands is beyond me, but Jerome has even managed to put on a national front slant as well as an anti-government slant onto your story about being pro-British (even though we are not a race!!!).
Jerome,
It is not just the "British" people this stupid government don't recognise as a race, it is the ENGLISH!
This Labour Government, heavily stocked with Scots, has a Racist attitude towards the ENGLISH!
The Labour Government don't even recognise the British people as a race, so how can they possibly claim to be acting in our interest? The Government have repeatedly resisted calls even from their own backbenchers to ratify International Labour Organisation Resolution 169, which urges all Governments to recognise and respect the land and human rights of all indigenous peoples. Labour refuses to put this resolution on a legal footing on the specific grounds that there are no people indigenous to the UK. No wonder the BNP are already using this information and putting it to their advantage but is their no end to the two faced treachery of Westminster?