Argentina calls in UN over Britain's oil exploits off Falklands

Tensions between Britain and Argentina dramatically rose today after the South American country called on the United Nations to intervene over over London's oil exploration off the Falkland Islands.

Argentina's foreign minister Jorge Taiana will meet UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon this evening, while a a resolution was also set to be tabled in the UN General Assembly condemning Britain for allowing Desire Petroleum's Ocean Guardian to begin drilling 60 miles north of the islands.

The move comes just hours after Argentina won the unprecendented support from other Latin American states and Caribbean islands for its demand to stop drilling in waters near the islands.

But Brtiain remained defiant despite the calls. Defence Minister Bill Rammell said the Government will take "whatever steps are necessary" to protect the islands, which had a "legitimate right" to develop an oil industry within their waters.

Ocean Guardian was towed 8,000 miles from Scotland to the south Atlantic isles for the exploration. Argentina formally objected to the move and tightened shipping regulations in the region.

Latin American and Caribbean nations backed Argentina's claim of sovereignty to the islands as the dispute gathered pace.

At the Rio Group summit of 32 countries hosted by Mexico, Argentina presented a statement quoting Mexican President Felipe Calderon as saying that "the heads of state represented here reaffirm their support for the legitimate rights of the republic of Argentina in the sovereignty dispute with Great Britain".

Argentinian president Cristina Fernandez ruled out any plans to try to keep the British boats or rigs out. "We do not believe in methods like blockades."

However in a statement to regional leaders in Cancun, Mexico she reiterated Argentina's claim to the islands and blamed the Foreign Office for fanning tensions.

Jan Cheek, a member of the Falklands legislative assembly, said she was "not surprised" by the Latin American countries' statement, as they had historically tended to back Argentina in the dispute.

Ms Cheek said: "We don't feel isolated, because we don't rely too heavily on Latin America for many of our supplies or much of our communication.

"I would much prefer it if we could treat all our Latin American neighbours as good friendly neighbours, but under the present Argentine regime I don't think that will happen.

"Argentina does regularly take this issue to the UN but it has very little effect on us, mainly because what they are seeking is to make us a colony of Argentina while we have freely chosen, through self-determination, to be an overseas territory of the UK."

Ms Cheek said there is "no reason" why Argentina's stance should affect the search for oil, adding: "It certainly makes no difference to our right to license the natural resources of our territory".