Letter: Argentina’s oil

YOUR expert Dr Phillips O’Brien seems curiously out of touch with the strategic position of Argentina, both fiscally and in relation to oil discoveries.

He states (Analysis, 21 March) that Peru is “flexing its muscles but it remains a relative weakling in South America”, adding: “During the Falklands War in 1982, Argentina was seen as a chaotic South American country, whereas now it’s much more democratic and economically stronger.”

Anyone with the remotest interest in Argentinean affairs knows that Argentina is an economic basket case with real-terms inflation running to around 20 per cent.

His second point is that “things will become more of an issue if oil is discovered”. For the esteemed doctor’s information, oil has already been discovered in recoverable quantities by Rockhopper Exploration in 2011, conservatively estimated at around half a billion barrels but it could be significantly more.

David Cruickshanks

Royal Navy Falklands veteran

Forth Street

Dunfermline