Argentina take UK oil companies to court in latest Falklands dispute

Argentina is taking British oil firms to court for exploring in waters near the Falkland Islands in a fresh diplomatic row over the territory.

The move comes after two days of accusations between the countries' governments after Argentina made threats when British firms Premier Oil, Rockhopper Exploration and Falkland Oil & Gas announced that they had found oil and gas in a remote field north of the islands

The Argentinian foreign ministry said it "will file criminal charges today against companies conducting hydrocarbon exploration activities in the Argentinian continental shelf".

It claimed that oil firms working in the waters around the islands without formal permission from Argentina were "violating" UN resolutions about the territory "while a solution to the controversy is still pending".

Britain last week dismissed the threat of prosecution against oil and gas firms, and earlier today said it was in "no doubt" about the its sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.