346. Memorandum Prepared in the Department of State1
SUBJECT
- UK Falklands Terms
Argentine Foreign Office official Bunge called Ambassador Kirkpatrick this afternoon to detail the terms Britain has proposed to Argentina.2 According to Bunge, they include:
—No formal ceremony (in the mind of the Argentines, this means no actual surrender);
—“withdrawal of the flag;”
—Argentine units to withdraw with their weapons, except for those made prisoner;
—Definitive end to hostilities, including a specific commitment against overflight by Argentine Air Force units.
Bunge says these terms are “totally acceptable” to Argentina. Junta is now discussing how they could be made public at Argentine initiative.
Idea in Buenos Aires would be to present these terms as implementation of Resolution 502. Argentines continue to hope that British can be persuaded to engage in “negotiations.”
Comment: If this report is accurate, the British have been very sensitive. Bunge attributed this to US influence.
- Source: Department of State, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Miscellaneous Files, March 1981–February 1983, Lot 83D210, Falklands [Folder 1]. Confidential. Drafted by Enders on June 15. Copies were sent to Bremer, Burt, Service, and Gompert.↩
- Kirkpatrick transmitted a summary of her June 15 conversation with Bunge to the Department in telegram 1668 from USUN, June 16. (Reagan Library, Executive Secretariat, NSC Cable File, Falkland File 06/16/1982 (1))↩