David Cameron's first foreign-policy crisis?

Posted By Joshua Keating Friday, May 7, 2010 - 10:54 AM Share

It's a bit unclear who's in charge of Britain right now, but if -- as is looking more likely -- David Cameron enters 10 Downing Street with either a minority government or a wacky Conservative-Liberal coalition, he's going to have his hands full right off the bat with Argentina:

Argentina reacted with fury last night to the news that British company
Rockhopper Exploration had made significant oil discoveries in waters around
the Falkland Islands.

As news broke that the company had encountered a 53m-thick deposit of oil
220km (135 miles) north of the islands, that could lead to the discovery of
up to 200 million barrels of oil worth £17 billion at current prices,
Argentina’s Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana condemned British actions in the
region as “illegal” and “unilateral”.

In a statement issued yesterday by the Foreign Ministry, Mr Taiana said:
“Argentina energetically refutes what is an illegal attempt to confiscate
non-renewable natural resources that are the property of the Argentine
people.

It went on: “And wants to make clear, to the UK authorities that authorised
this exploration and to the company involved, that the Argentine Government
will continue to denounce this illegal British action in all international
forums, and that it will take all necessary measures, according to
international law, to impede the continuation of these actions.”

Argentina’s Foreign Minister also warned that Cristina Fernández de Kirchner’s
Government would continue to impose restrictions on the movement of ships
between Argentina and the Falklands.

Cameron is not only hawkish on the Falklands; he has also been critical of the Obama administration's reluctance to take the British side in the dispute.

As Joe Biden would say, "Gird your loins!"

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