313. Memorandum From Director of Central Intelligence Casey to Secretary of State Haig, the President’s Assistant for National Security Affairs (Clark), and the Permanent Representative to the United Nations (Kirkpatrick)1
SUBJECT
- Comments of a Senior Argentine Air Force Officer on U.S. Attitudes Toward the Falkland Islands Crisis
1. The following information was received on 28 May 1982 [1½ lines not declassified].2
2. [1 line not declassified] a senior Argentine Air Force brigadier, commenting upon U.S. official attitudes over the Falkland Islands crisis, said that it was difficult for Argentina to assess the U.S. Government’s real thoughts on the crisis because there were two opposing viewpoints over the issue within the U.S. Administration. The first faction, he said, was led by Secretary of State Alexander Haig and was European-oriented (i.e. pro-British). The other, which includes Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs Judge William Clark and Ambassador to the United Nations Jeane Kirkpatrick, was Latin America-oriented (i.e. pro-Argentine).
3. The brigadier went on to say that the Argentines were considering sending an emissary from Buenos Aires to discuss the question with the U.S. but that, until this faction-fighting in the U.S. Administration resolved itself and the situation clarified, they did not intend to do so.
4. No further distribution of this information is being made.
- Source: Reagan Library, Executive Secretariat, NSC Country File, Latin America/Central, Falklands War (06/08/1982–10/25/82). Secret; [handling restriction not declassified]. A stamped notation at the top of the memorandum indicates that Clark saw it. On his copy of the memorandum, Haig wrote: “Disaster!” (Department of State, Executive Secretariat, Files of Alexander M. Haig, Jr., 1981–1982, Lot 82D370, (3) Falklands Crisis 1982). A typed notation at the end of the memorandum indicates the information was received in FIRDB–312/0147–82.↩
- Casey initialed “WJC” above his typed signature.↩