United States Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said his country is “concerned” about how a bill introduced by the Argentine government to toughen sanctions against companies linked to oil drilling projects in the maritime area around the Malvinas Islands could affect U.S. firms.
During a visit to Buenos Aires, Landau held a joint press conference in Spanish on Thursday with Argentine Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno following a meeting. He was asked by a journalist about reports that U.S. companies were uncomfortable with the contents of the legislative proposal.
Landau said President Donald Trump’s administration was “looking (at the bill) with interest” in order to protect the interests of U.S. companies, but played down the level of concern.
“It is natural for any country to be concerned over something like this,” Landau said, clarifying that the U.S. “respects the legislative process of the great Argentine nation.”
Landau’s comments came hours before a meeting with President Javier Milei on Friday morning. Quirno was also in attendance, along with Argentine Ambassador to the U.S. Alec Oxenford; U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs; U.S. Ambassador to Argentina Peter Lamelas; and U.S. Senior Advisor for Western Hemisphere Affairs Viviana Bovo.
Malvinas Law
The bill, formally called the “Law on the Defense of National Sovereignty” and often referred to simply as the “Malvinas Law,” was introduced in Congress by Milei in September.
It followed his announcement that he would step up measures against actors involved in exploiting natural resources in the South Atlantic islands, an activity Argentina considers illegal because it claims the territory as its own and considers it to be illegitimately occupied by the United Kingdom.
The bill, which has yet to be debated, would expand the framework for sanctioning companies illegally exploiting natural resources near the Malvinas. A 2011 law on hydrocarbon protections already establishes sanctions for those involved in oil drilling.
The new provision would also cover illegal fishing, mining and other activities. It would target not only companies operating in the area but also shareholders, associates and investors from around the world, including the U.S.
Milei has already imposed several sanctions on firms and individuals associated with the Sea Lion oil drilling project, led by Israeli company Navitas Petroleum and British firm Rockhopper Exploration.
During Thursday’s press conference, Quirno explained that the bill “does not target any company in particular.” Instead, he said, the goal is to make firms choose between operating in Argentina “legally” and with “much more potential,” or operating in the Malvinas under an “illegal license” issued by the islands’ government, in a “much more risky operation.”
The proposed law would sanction firms operating in the islands without Argentine permits by stripping them of their right to operate in mainland Argentina, home to Vaca Muerta, one of the world’s largest shale oil and gas fields.
UN decolonization committee
Landau was also asked about the U.S. proposal to eliminate the United Nations Special Committee on Decolonization, on which Argentina abstained from voting last week. The move sparked controversy because Argentina has presented its sovereignty claim over the Malvinas Islands to the committee annually for decades.
Landau said it was “no secret” that the Trump administration sought to reform multilateral institutions such as the UN and eliminate committees that “over the years have done almost nothing.”
“I hope that here in Argentina, a reform initiative aimed at streamlining the operations of the United Nations is not confused with a specific substantive issue,” he said, referring to Argentina’s claim to the Malvinas.
He added that the decolonization committee “has taken quite radical positions on certain issues against the U.S.,” including Puerto Rico, a territory under U.S. sovereignty whose political status and relationship with Washington have long been debated at the UN.
Quirno added that Argentina’s sovereignty claim over the islands was “non-negotiable” and had been raised “in every international forum.” He said that although Argentina submits its claims to the committee annually, UN resolutions on the matter do not depend on it.
“Even if that committee were to cease to exist, that would in no way undermine our claim,” he assured.
Editorial disclaimer: Although the UK refers to the Malvinas territory as the “Falklands Islands,” Argentina strongly contests this name. The Buenos Aires Herald refers to the islands as the Malvinas Islands.
La entrada US ‘looking with interest’ at Argentine bill to toughen sanctions near Malvinas se publicó primero en Buenos Aires Herald.