121. Telegram From the Central Intelligence Agency to the White House Situation Room and the National Security Council Staff1
198827. TDFIR–314/00604–82. Dist: 14 April 1982. Country: Argentina/United Kingdom/USSR. Subject: Argentine Plans To Deploy Part of Its Fleet; Argentine Hopes for U.S. Intelligence Support To Prevent Contact With the British Fleet; Argentine Willingness To Accept Soviet Intelligence Support If the United States Does Not Provide It (DOI: 12, 13 April 1982) Source: [1 paragraph (4 lines) not declassified].
1. On 12 and 13 April 1982, two Argentine Air Force generals said that the Argentine Navy and Air Force are currently avoiding any operations that might bring them into contact with elements of the British fleet or that might cause Argentine units to enter the British-announced zone of exclusion around the Falkland Islands. The Air Force generals said that this policy must be changed soon because the Argentine Government wants to put some of its fleet to sea to detect the locations of British ships. However, they said, the Argentine Government does not have accurate information of the general disposition of the British fleet and will thus be sending its units out “blind”; they added that a confrontation with the British is likely under this circumstance.
2. The Air Force generals said that the Argentine Government, using its Embassy in Washington, has already requested U.S. [less than 1 line not declassified] on the disposition of the British fleet as an aid to avoiding conflict. They reiterated the necessity for this intelligence support; they said that if the United States does not provide this assistance, the Argentine Government will accept a standing offer from the Soviet Union to provide such [less than 1 line not declassified]. The two generals added that they are well aware that the U.S. Government has provided [less than 1 line not declassified] on Argentine forces to the British Government, and the U.S. Government must provide similar support to the Argentine Government if it wants to remain neutral in the current dispute.
3. [less than 1 line not declassified] comments.
A. [1 paragraph (3 lines) not declassified]
B. Unsubstantiated reports have been filtered into the Embassy by Argentine Government officials, claiming that the Soviet Union has offered or has provided [less than 1 line not declassified] intelligence to [Page 261] the Argentine Government on the disposition of the British fleet. Those claims have not been confirmed. However, evidence has been received that the Soviet Union has provided other information to the Argentine Government on the aircraft carrier “Invincible”; [1½ lines not declassified].
[Omitted here is dissemination information.]
- Source: Reagan Library, Executive Secretariat, NSC Cable File, Falkland File 04/15/1982 (1). Secret; [handling restriction not declassified].↩