Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond accuses Argentina of bullying over lawsuit against drilling firms

Argentina has launched a lawsuit against Falkland Island drilling firms

British Foreign Minister Philip Hammond has accused Argentina of bullying (ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP/Getty Images)

Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond has accused Argentina of “outrageous” bullying after its government launched legal action against companies drilling for oil and gas near the Falkland Islands.

British firms Premier Oil, Rockhopper, and Falkland Oil & Gas are reported to be among the five companies being targeted in the legal action, as well as Edison International and Noble Energy.

Daniel Filmus, Argentina’s minister for the Falkland Islands, or the Malvinas, announced in London that the case had been launched after firms drilled on the territory earlier this month.

In an interview with BBC News, he accused the firms of “performing illegal acts by entering Argentine territory”.

He added the Argentina will “used the full force of the law” to prevent riches being taken from 40 million Argentine citizens.

Filmus argued that the area being drilled was "as much ours as the centre of Buenos Aires."

Secretary of State for the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands Affairs Daniel Filmus announced legal action against drilling firms today (Getty Images)

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Responding to the announcement, Mr Hammond told Sky News: "It is an outrageous piece of bullying and threatening against the Falkland Islanders' perfect right to develop their own economic resources and Argentina needs to stop this kind of behaviour and start acting like a responsible member of the International community."

Before the announcement, chairman of the Falklands Legislative Assembly, Ian Hansen, said he failed to see how drilling is a provocation "in anyway".

He added: "We have the right to develop our economy, including the hydrocarbons industry, and we are exercising that right. Exploration drilling has been happening in Falkland Islands waters for many years.

"It is worth remembering that it was the government of Argentina who walked away from working with the Falkland Islands on the development of a hydrocarbons industry some years ago.

"Argentine domestic law does not apply to the Falkland Islands and this latest action is clearly another attempt by Argentina to try to block economic growth in the Falkland Islands.”

The war of words comes after the Argentine ambassador to the UK, Alicia Castro, was called in front of the Foreign office after she and the country’s President, Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, launched a fresh attack against the British Government’s plans to boost defences on the Falklands.

Defence Secretary Michael Fallon had announced that Britain plans to deploy two RAF Chinook helicopters to strengthen the islands defences, amid fears of a fresh Argentinian invasion of the islands, 33 years after the Falklands War.

Additional reporting by PA