329. Message From British Foreign Secretary Pym to Secretary of State Haig1
TEXT OF MESSAGE TO THE SECRETARY OF STATE FROM THE FOREIGN SECRETARY DATED 9 JUNE 1982
Begins.
I am very concerned to ensure that, once Argentine forces have been obliged to leave the Falklands, all military action by Argentina [Page 681] against us in the South Atlantic should come to a complete stop. We want the next period to be one of rehabilitation and reconstruction and not one of continuing bitterness and hostility. I would hope that this would also be the Argentine mood, and presumably they will be concerned for the return of their prisoners of war.
I have greatly appreciated the support you have given us with measures against Argentina in the economic field, including arms supplies. Economic measures are having a substantial and cumulative effect. No arms supplies have reached Argentina from major western suppliers. Argentina has been denied up to 25 per cent of her export markets and has been unable to compensate by increased sales to the Soviet Union. She has received no new bank lending since the invasion and government supported export credit has been widely withheld. All this has shown Argentina the economic penalties of her aggression.
Naturally, we would all like to give up these measures as soon as it makes sense to do so. However, we do not want a situation where we have regained the Falkland Islands but Argentina refuses to give up fighting against us. There may be a need to maintain economic measures until Argentina agrees to cease all hostilities in the South Atlantic. The embargo on arms supplies might remain rather longer, so that we can be sure that Argentina has finally abandoned her aggressive intentions.
You will recall that we discussed this subject at Versailles.2 This message is intended to take our consideration a stage further, bringing in all countries who have adopted economic measures against Argentina. We expect to discuss this with our Community partners on 14 June and would be glad of your views by then. If our joint consideration results in agreement that there should be a link between the cessation of all hostilities and the lifting of economic measures, we could discuss ways of bringing this to the notice of the Argentines, so that they can draw the consequences. In parallel, the Argentines could also be told that the ending of hostilities will ensure the early return of their prisoners taken in the Falklands. This could exert a strong pressure on them to abandon their aggression and restore peaceful relations.
I look forward to hearing your views.3 Meanwhile, until we have had our consultations I hope we could all be careful not to prejudge their outcome and in particular avoid saying anything in public which could lead to an appearance of disunity among us or send the wrong signals to Argentina.
Ends.
- Source: Department of State, Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Falklands Files of Luigi Einaudi, Lot 90D400, Falklands Crisis Consequences. UK Confidential; Exdis. The British Embassy sent the text of the message to Stoessel under a covering note from Thomas, June 9. An unknown hand crossed out the number “8” in the date and wrote in the number “9,” the date the mesage was received in the Department.↩
- See Document 322.↩
- Presumably at the June 9 U.S.–U.K. meeting. See Document 326.↩