Argentina
on Wednesday alleged that Ghana is violating international law by holding one
of its frigates under a court order by creditors suing Buenos Aires over its
2002 bond default.
Ghana's
seizure of the warship Libertad "is against the Vienna Convention on
diplomatic immunity," an Argentine foreign ministry statement said,
alleging the lawsuit by NML Capital was fraudulent.
"The
foreign ministry has already taken steps to clarify to the African nation's
government the fraud these financiers have perpetrated," it said.
The
director general of Ghana's ports authority confirmed the Libertad had been
held in line with a court order.
"I
can confirm that the ship has been detained in Ghana on the order of the
court," Richard Anamoo told AFP.
"It
is not Ghanaian authorities that have taken a decision to arrest or detain the
ship, but rather it was a court order which needed to be complied with,"
he said.
"The
owners of the ship would have to pay the money or appear in court to defend
their case."
Between
2005 and 2010 Argentina refinanced and rescheduled its repayment of 93 percent
of the almost $100 billion default it incurred in 2001.
Among
the unsettled business were bonds held by speculative funds seeking to recoup
their money through the courts.
Argentina also has more than $6.5 billion in
debt with the Paris Club of government creditors.
In
Washington, the non-governmental American Task Force Argentina, which seeks
fair resolution of the Argentine default, voiced its dismay.
"Argentina's
status as an international scofflaw has been well documented," the AFFA
said in a statement. "International creditors have won more than 100 court
judgments against the Argentina government, but Argentina has refused to honor
any of these judgments, even though it has the means to pay, with more then $45
billion in reserves."
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