Argentina 'plotting Falklands economic blockade'

[happyslug]

23. The Falklands want NOTHING to do with its NEAREST neighbor? Sooner or later something has to give

Look at where the Falklands are, the nearest Country is Argentina. The next nearest Country is Chile, but you have to go through Argentina from Chile to get to the Falklands. The third nearest Country is Uruguay and the fourth is Brazil, both of which supports Argentina in this matter (and did in 1982). The rest of South America is nearer to the Falklands then the nearest NON-South American Country, South Africa.

Please note I am ignoring the South Georgia and South Sandwich island in this discussion given their population of 30 people. And while the the tip of Northern South America is further from the Falklands then South Africa, the countries on that northern tip, Columbia, Venezuela, Guyana, Suriname and French Guinea all extend southward so that all of them have areas closer to the Falklands then South Africa. I mention this for it clearly shows who Britain and the Falkland island have to deal with Argentina, just like Castro has to deal with the US (Castro may NOT like dealing with the US, but the US Dollar is used in Cuba and there is a good bit of movement between Cuba and Cubans living in Florida).

The Falklands was nothing but a Coaling Station till the British Navy converted to oil after 1900. The Falklands have a population of just over 3100 people. To get anywhere from anywhere you either have to go by Ship OR by plane. Given the population of the Island the Airport is large for such a population but it is still a SMALL airport. For that reason any flight to the Island has to come from some Country in South America. I.e. Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil or Chile. Uruguay and Brazil support Argentina, thus, except after Pinochet was arrested, all trips had to go via Chile (After Pinochet arrest, Chile stopped all flights and afterward all fights had to be through Argentina until Chile resumed them).

This is why when the Husband of Margret Thatcher actually visited the island, he questioned why Britain actually fought over it.

More on the Falklands:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falkland_Islands

The modern conflict seems to be a fight over the oil and natural gas deposits around the Falklands. If the Falklands are part of Argentina then those rights belong to Argentina. If the Falklands belong to Britain those rights, that do NOT overlap with Argentina rights, belong to the Falklands. In areas where those rights overlap, the line is the halfway point between any point in Argentina and any point on the Falklands. Here is a map showing what Britain is claiming for the Falklands:



In simple terms, this is a growing fight over who gets the oil and natural gas out of the area. Can the Falklands support the full exploration of these resources without Argentina? With a population of 3100 I do not think so, Great Britain and South African are to far away. Uruguay is small, and tied in with Argentina, thus that leaves Brazil and Argentina. Brazil has supported Argentina is this dispute so Brazil is not an option, so sooner or later Britain and the Islanders themselves will have to deal with Argentina.

Unlike the Falkland island themselves, Argentina not only has the population to support such exploitation, it has the industrial capacity and other support elements to support exploration of the area around the islands, thus the recent flare up seems to be more positioning between Great Britain and Argentina as those two work out how the exploitation of those resources are to be handled. The Falkland islanders comments, while appear to be valid concerns, seems to me to be used by the British as part of that negotiations for a deal with Argentina in regards to exploitation of those resources.

Thus sooner or later some sort of deal has to be made between Britain and Argentina over the Falklands. Everyone knows this, but the positioning can be interesting in itself. Argentina has the capacity to prevent any exploitation of the oil and gas resources and Britain knows this. Britain has the capacity to hold on to the Falklands, and Argentina knows this. Argentina wants the Island, Britain wants to get to the Oil and Natural Gas around the Island. A deal is going to be made. If I was the Falkland islanders I would accept that unpleasant fact, Britain will sell them down the river for the CHANCE of getting access to the Oil and Natural Gas in the areas around the Island. Right now, Britain is not yet ready to cut a deal, but when Britain wants to get at that oil and Gas, Argentina will demand the Falklands in exchange for Britain being able to use Argentina as a base to support such exploration and exploitation. Argentina will give the Islanders the right to remain and retain English Common Law (Something Argentina has already said they would do if the Falklands would join Argentina). Thus the elements of a deal is already known, the issue is getting around to making the deal and some how making it look good even if the Islanders object to the deal.