244. Information Memorandum From the Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs (Enders) to Secretary of State Haig1

SUBJECT

  • Brazilian Reply to your May 6 letter on the South Atlantic

Attached is an informal translation of Foreign Minister Guerreiro’s May 7 reply2 to your letter of May 6.3 The reply makes three points worth noting:

. . . restraint is essential, not only on the part of the U.K. and Argentina, but also of “countries that may help tip the balance of the current military situation . . .”

. . . the time has arrived to seek a solution involving force withdrawal, a temporary U.N. presence on the islands, and U.N. sponsored negotiations with purposefully vague guidelines on self-determination and sovereignty.4

. . . Brazil is concerned about the impact of the crisis on inter-American relations.

Guerreiro’s May 7 letter is his second to you on this issue, both sent in reply to your letters to him.5 President Figueiredo also replied to President Reagan’s May 4 letter on the crisis.6 In this exchange of correspondence the Brazilians have made clear their hope that the crisis and associated questions will be explored thoroughly during Figueiredo’s visit. Your breakfast with Guerreiro on May 12 may provide the best opportunity for a full discussion.7

  1. Source: Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, P820069–1749. Confidential. Drafted by Kilday. Haig initialed at the top of the memorandum, indicating that he saw it. A stamped notation also indicates that Haig saw the memorandum.
  2. Not found attached. The complete texts of the Department’s unofficial translation as well as the Portuguese original of Guerreiro’s May 7 letter are in the Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, P820076–1145.
  3. See Document 238 and footnote 1 thereto.
  4. Haig underlined “self-determination and sovereignty” and drew a checkmark next to these words.
  5. See Document 196 and footnote 1, Document 238.
  6. Likely an erroneous reference to Reagan’s May 2 letter to Figueiredo (see Document 204). For Figueiredo’s May 4 response, see footnote 2, Document 229.
  7. Haig underlined this sentence and wrote “agree” in the right-hand margin.