Office of the Historian

102. Transcript of a Telephone Conversation Between Secretary of State Haig and British Foreign Secretary Pym1

London, April 13, 1982, 1:15–1:18 a.m.

H: Francis, I have been on the phone with this lad for about an hour.2 He quibbles right and left. On the one hand, he says we cannot break this off; he would send somebody to London or he will come to Washington. On the other, he doesn’t change his ultimatum at all.

P: It is a very difficult decision for you, Al—a very big one.

H: I told him it is so important and the stakes are so high I hoped he would sleep on it and talk to his President.

P: I respect that very much.

H: I think I should see the Prime Minister in the morning—at 10:00 or 11:00. We should know exactly where we are coming to. I may have to get President Reagan in on it.

P: It is very, very difficult; the stakes are very high. I will see you in the morning.

H: I will call the Prime Minister now.3

  1. Source: Department of State, Executive Secretariat, Files of Alexander M. Haig, Jr., 1981–1982, Lot 82D370, (2) Falklands Crisis—1982. Secret; Nodis. Haig was speaking from his suite at the Churchill Hotel.↩
  2. See Document 101.↩
  3. See Document 103.↩