340. Telegram From the Department of State to All Diplomatic and Consular Posts and the Embassy in Argentina1
163554. Manila please pass to Deputy Secretary Stoessel/Todep 30009. Subject: South Atlantic Crisis: Situation Report as of 0800, June 14, 1982 No. 88.
1. (C–Entire text).
2. Cease-fire around Stanley. British Prime Minister Thatcher and the Argentine military high command have confirmed that an effective cease-fire went into effect around Port Stanley the afternoon of June 14.2 Thatcher told the House of Commons that the Argentine commander on the Islands is discussing the surrender of Argentine troops on East and West Falklands with the deputy British commander; the Argentines are flying white flags over Stanley; and British troops have orders not to shoot except in self-defense. The Argentine high command issued a communique indicating that after exchanges between the British and Argentine military commanders on the Islands a de facto ceasefire, “not formally agreed”, went into effect in the Stanley area.
3. British losses. The MOD announced June 13 that British losses from Argentina’s June 8 attack at Fitzroy Bay3 totaled about 100 men killed or wounded. Another nine were lost in a weekend attack on a British destroyer.4
4. Argentine prisoners: the British turned over to the ICRC in Montevideo about 1,000 Argentine prisoners captured in the Falklands in the May 28/29 battle for Goose Green and Darwin.5 In a night attack [Page 701] June 12 British troops, advancing five miles to the outskirts of Stanley, reportedly captured several hundred more Argentine soldiers.6
5. Buenos Aires minimize considered.
- Source: Department of State, Central Foreign Policy File, D850363–0048. Confidential; Immediate. Sent for information Immediate to European POLADs Collective, USSOUTHCOM, the Department of Defense, USCINCEUR, and USCINCLANT.↩
- A Significant Event Report produced by the NMCC on June 14, added that the ceasefire was put into effect until 1300Z, June 15, “while the Argentine commander goes to Buenos Aires to confer with the Junta on the terms of the surrender of Argentine forces on both East and West Falkland Islands.” (Washington National Records Center, OSD Files, FRC 330–84–0003, Argentina (June–Sept) 1982)↩
- See footnote 2, Document 337.↩
- The British destroyer HMS Glamorgan was damaged by an Argentine land-based Exocet missile while providing fire support to the British advance on Port Stanley, June 11, ultimately killing 13 and injuring 15 British personnel. (Freedman, Official History, vol. II, pp. 616–617)↩
- See Document 302.↩
- For a detailed account of the battles around Port Stanley from the British perspective, see Freedman, Official History, vol. II, pp. 611–644.↩