314. Draft Proposal Prepared in the Department of State1

Ideas for an Approach

When British military success is at hand, the US and Brazil would propose an agreement to the UK and Argentina containing the following elements taken as an integrated whole.

1. General and permanent ceasefire (including provisions for the non-resupply and the regrouping of Argentine forces); establishment of a temporary British military administration; lifting of sanctions by Argentina, the UK and third countries;

2. Immediate introduction of a peacekeeping force consisting of contingents from the US and Brazil to verify the ceasefire and ensure the separation of forces;

3. Rapid withdrawal of Argentine forces;

4. Creation of a Contact Group consisting of the UK, the US, Brazil and Argentina;2

5. End of military administration and start of local self-government by the local councils with the Contact Group ratifying all decisions not inconsistent with the purposes of the Agreement;

6. Phased withdrawal of British forces, with the peacekeeping force to assume responsibility for the security of the islands for a limited period;

7. Negotiations, without preconditions, on the definitive settlement of the dispute with the assistance of the other members of the Contact Group;

8. Undertaking by both parties not to take any action that would prejudice the outcome of the negotiations.

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POINTS TO BE MADE ORALLY

1. RESTORATION OF LOCAL ADMINISTRATION DOES NOT INCLUDE RETURN OF A GOVERNOR;

2. AVOIDANCE OF PUBLICLY ESPOUSING INDEPENDENCE OR SEMI-INDEPENDENCE AS THE BRITISH GOAL;

3. AGREEMENT ON WITHDRAWAL WOULD HAVE TO SAY SOMETHING ABOUT NON-REINTRODUCTION OF FORCES.

4. CONTACT GROUP TO STAY ON INDEFINITELY.

  1. Source: Library of Congress, Manuscript Division, Haig Papers, Department of State, Day File, May 29, 1982 Falklands. No classification marking. No drafting information appears on the proposal, and the date is handwritten. At the bottom of the first page, Goldberg wrote: “Ideas presented to Henderson on 5/29/82 by AMH. As UK moves to milit[ary] victory—objective—avoid Argent[ina’s] humiliating surrender.” No U.S. record of Haig’s meeting with Henderson has been found. For a British account of the meeting and the FCO’s consideration of the proposal, see Freedman, Official History, vol. II, pp. 514–516. A British record of the meeting, as cabled by Henderson to London, is published on the Thatcher Foundation website.
  2. In a later version of this proposal, presented to Haig at 2215 hours on May 31, this point was removed. (Department of State, Executive Secretariat, S/S Special Handling Restrictions Memos 1979–1983, Lot 96D262, ES Sensitive May 25–31 1982)