Falklands oil project raised in Burnham-Trump call

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham discussed Argentina's attempt to block a UK-Israeli oil project near the disputed Falkland Islands in a call with US President Donald Trump on Friday, Downing Street said.

Argentina last week asked the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea to block the Sea Lion hydrocarbon exploration project off the Falklands. The project is led by Britain's Rockhopper and Israel's Navitas.

Downing Street said Burnham and Trump discussed the project and that Burnham raised the economic consequences of what his office called Argentina's coercive measures for the UK and the US. It said he also stressed the islanders' right to develop their natural resources.

Argentina's presidency said its request to the tribunal seeks to preserve Argentina's sovereign rights and prevent activities it says were authorised unilaterally and illegally by the United Kingdom from worsening the dispute recognised by the United Nations.

The Falklands are administered by the UK but claimed by Argentina, where they are known as Las Malvinas. Britain and Argentina fought a 10-week war over the islands in 1982. Falkland Islanders voted overwhelmingly in 2013 to remain British, but Argentina rejects that outcome.