Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981–1988, Volume XIII, Conflict in the South Atlantic, 1981–1984

180. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in the United Kingdom¹

Washington, April 27, 1982, 0044Z

112102. London for Ambassador and Charge only. Subject: Falkland Islands: Message From the Secretary to Foreign Secretary Pym.

1. Secret–Entire text.

2. Please deliver the following message from the Secretary to the FCO for Foreign Secretary Pym.

3. Begin text:

Dear Francis:

Thank you for your message of April 26² and your concurrence that we should put to the Argentines the proposals we worked out during your visit here. We believe that your success on South Georgia may now give us greater reason to hope that the Argentines will regard the presently drafted framework as a preferred alternative to further armed conflict. If this hope is not misplaced, we may have an extremely critical opportunity—perhaps the last—before an escalation of the fighting takes place and the scenario changes in a way which plunges Argentina and Britain into an armed conflict which—whatever its immediate outcome—will create long-term instability, insecurity and hostility.

As Nicko has no doubt told you, we have proposed to the Argentines that I leave for Buenos Aires as soon as that can be arranged—perhaps in the next few hours.³ I will, in line with the Prime Minister’s message of April 24,⁴ and your second message today, present our ideas to President Galtieri and the Junta. I am not going to Buenos Aires to negotiate; rather I will be prepared to explain our ideas and seek a prompt response. Needless to say, I will not remain in Argentina an inordinate period of time.

Obviously, all of the above is predicated on the assumption that the Argentines agree to receive me. If they do not, we must nevertheless make an effort to present our ideas, if only to make clear that the Argentines had a fair proposition before them which they chose to decline. Therefore, if I do not go to Buenos Aires, I will instruct our Ambassador there to deliver our text and ask for a prompt Argentine reply. Thus, whether or not I go to Buenos Aires, we should know within the next day or two whether there is reason to hope that a settlement can be reached before new, more intense hostilities erupt.

I will of course stay in closest contact with you. With warm personal regards to you and Prime Minister Thatcher, Al. End text.

4. FYI: The Secretary’s message replies to the following message from Pym received in Washington from the UK Embassy Monday afternoon.

[Omitted here is the complete text of Pym’s second April 26 message to Haig (see footnote 4, Document 175)]

Haig

1. Source: Reagan Library, Executive Secretariat, NSC Country File, Europe and Soviet Union, United Kingdom (04/01/1982–07/31/1982) (4). Secret; Flash; Nodis. Sent for information Immediate to the White House.
2. Reference is to Pym’s follow-up message on April 26. See footnote 4, Document 175.
3. See footnote 2, Document 178.
4. See Document 173.