ALT Argentina's decision to initiate arbitration against the United Kingdom under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is the latest attempt to undermine the rights and livelihoods of the people of the Falkland Islands. The people of the Falkland Islands have freely and democratically chosen their future, and they have every right to develop and manage their natural resources without intimidation, coercion or interference from others. Hydrocarbon activities on the Falkland Islands continental shelf are regulated under Falkland Islands law and conducted in full accordance with international law, including UNCLOS. This week we made clear to Argentina's ambassador to the United Kingdom that efforts to obstruct lawful economic activity in the Falkland Islands are not acts of responsible international engagement; they are deliberate attempts to undermine the prosperity and economic security of a self-governing people. [STATEMENT CONTINUES]