BUENOS AIRES, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Argentina prevented a ship from loading its oil cargo because of a lingering dispute over the Falklands, which Buenos Aries says is British-occupied territory.
The Argentine government issued a formal protest to the British envoy to Buenos Aries last week over plans to drill for oil in disputed territory near the Falkland Islands.
Oil and gas explorers drilled six wells in the North Falkland basin in 1998 but market conditions caused them to avoid development. Investors now see the area as a lucrative commercial opportunity.
Buenos Aries said cargo activity in "illegally occupied" Falklands, which it calls the Malvinas, prompted a decision to halt the shipments, the Financial Times reports.
"There is evidence that the ship was being used to supply material linked with the oil industry activities that are being illegally promoted by Britain in the Malvinas," the Argentine foreign ministry said.
Desire Petroleum, a British oil and gas explorer, said it has ambitious plans to explore the region. Analysts said the North Falkland basin could hold billions of barrels of oil equivalent.
London said the Falkland government is "entitled" to explore for oil and gas within its waters. Argentina and Britain fought a brief war over the islands in 1982.
