Falklands Wars – the History of the Falkland Islands: with particular regard to Spanish and Argentine pretensions and taking some account of South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands and Britain's Antarctic Territories by Roger Lorton 1 Paper 112 1972 – 1982 Negotiation “the only other option open to the Argentine government is a resort to force.” 3 ◈ In 1965 the United Nations had called upon the UK and Argentina to commence negotiations with a view to resolve the single issue that lay between them – sovereignty over the Falkland Islands. Talks had started in 1968, but had been slow to produce anything tangible. Added to the different perceptions of historic rights, which neither side were prepared to discuss, there was an addition problem. Just the year after calling for negotiations, the UN had adopted the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. Unsigned by Argentina, and only reluctantly acknowledged by the UK, the Covenant confirmed that “all people have the right of self-determination.” Not a principle to be aimed for, but a human right. Th Covenant acknowledged that only the Falkland Islanders could decide their future, giving them a power of veto over any deal that could be struck with Argentina. This paper considers the slow breakdown in negotiations and the changing political landscape in Argentina. Mixed together, they would produce a fateful decision. 1972 – January 7th, Libertad sails from Buenos Aires with tourists for Antarctica. On board is Britain's Ambassador to Argentina, Michael Hadow. With him is Mario Izaguirre, of Argentina’s Foreign Ministry. Both bound for Stanley. 4 January 8th, Argentina's state-owned airline, LADE, initiates twice-monthly amphibious flights between Comodoro Rivadavia and the Falkland Islands. 5 In London, a briefing note on the Falklands is prepared by the Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO). “At present the Islands are something of a liability to Britain; they no longer have a strategic value and they are difficult and expensive to defend, while remaining a constant source of friction in relations with Argentina and with Latin America as a whole.” 6 1 Falklands Wars – the History of the Falkland Islands: with particular regard to Spanish and Argentine pretensions and taking some account of South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands and Britain's Antarctic Territories Roger Lorton LL.B(Hon), M.Phil. 2011 – 2019. Roger Lorton has asserted his rights under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work. 2 Citation = Lorton, Roger. Falklands Wars: Timeline History of the Falkland Islands. Wordpress 2011 Paper 11 3 Minister Vignes to the Argentine press March 19, 1975 4 From Chapultepec to the Beagle. Argentine Foreign Policy 1945-1980 Juan A. Lanús 1984 p.478. I have found no British source. 5 Líneas Aéreas del Estado (LADE) was operated by the Argentine Air Force. 6 FCO 7/2115 1972 quoted in Far from Moderate: An account and appraisal of some aspects of the human involvement with the natural environment of the Falkland Islands and South Georgia S. Palmer 2004 1 January 10th, in Stanley, Governor Lewis addresses the Legislative Council of the Falkland Islands. “May I turn now to external affairs, and in particular to our relations with the Argentine, much has been said and written and I do not intend to repeat it all. However, I would like to say that the agreements do reflect a degree of political maturity that is rare in these days and that we should not under-estimate what has been achieved. I would like to pay tribute to the work done by our negotiating team including the members from the Islands for the way in which they handled the talks. On the agreements reached in B.A. in June of course the acid test is going to be how these agreements work out in practice, We can only proceed step by step and see how things go: always prepared to talk but not to compromise on our basic position. And now we have to live by and adjust to the changing pattern of our communications network. So far the agreements have worked well and we can expect the first regular amphibian flight in a couple of days thus introducing the fortnightly service and there are many other areas in which the provisions of the agreement have been implemented — not quite as spectacular perhaps as the air link but in important fields such as medical, postal, telecommunications and education, We expect that a third round of talks will take place in Stanley in March…” 7 January 26th, in London, Viscount Eccles speaks during a House of Lords debate on Latin America. “Your Lordships will be glad to know that our political relations with the countries of Latin America are generally most cordial and there are remarkably few points of difference. ... in full consultation with the Islanders, and without prejudice to the question of sovereignty, the Argentine Government and ourselves have made arrangements for modern communications between the Islands, Argentina and the world beyond, both by air and sea. These arrangements when completed will make a material contribution to the welfare of the Island community. ... Now we are looking forward to a third round to be held in Stanley and we very much hope that holding the talks there will contribute to the process of greater mutual understanding between the inhabitants of the Islands and their Argentine neighbours.” 8 May 2nd, Argentina agrees to construct a temporary air strip at Hooker’s Point, near Stanley, to replace the sea- plane service.9 The steel mesh strip is to be provided by Britain at a cost of $1 million, while Buenos Aires is to provide the workforce and construction equipment.10 May 14th, an Argentine transport ship, Cabo San Gonzalo, sails from Buenos Aires with 40 workmen and technicians. A local correspondent for the Financial Times watches them sail. “The Argentines have finally established a beach-head on the Falklands.” From Stanley, Governor Lewis proposes a permanent airport to eventually replace the temporary one to be built by Argentina. He applies to London for a grant of £1615 million. “Whitehall now experienced a severe bout of interdepartmental warfare. … Approval was finally given for the project to go out to tender, but only for a short runway.” 11 On East Falkland Island, the European Space Research tracking station ceases operations. 7 Falkland Islands Gazette 1972 8 HL Deb 26 January 1972 vol.327 cc333-407 9 Difficult sea conditions in Stanley harbour tended to frequently interrupt the service. 10 Lanús 1984 11 The Battle for the Falklands 1997 M. Hastings & S. Jenkins 1997 p.32 2 In July, the Falkland Islands Company (FIC) is acquired by Dundee, Perth and London Securities Ltd. The new owners grant the Falkland Islanders' Sheep Owners Association a right of first refusal should they decide to sell. The Falklands Islands' Emergency Committee founded in 1968 is re-designated the United Kingdom Falkland Islands Committee at the Islanders' request; “To assist the people of the Falkland Islands to decide their own future for themselves without being subject to pressure direct or indirect from any quarter.” September 27th, at the UN in New York, Argentina addresses the General Assembly. “.. In order to encourage ties between the Islands and the mainland and as a result of instruments approved by both countries, efforts have been made to allow communications, to increase mutual knowledge and to benefit the population of the Malvinas. Despite these practical steps of undisputed importance, there still are differences outstanding between the two Governments regarding the circumstances that should exist for a final solution to be arrived at over the question of sovereignty. Further talks on the matter are to be held and we trust that they will be fruitful. The result can, in any case, be none other than the return of the Malvinas Islands to the Argentine territorial heritage” October 23rd, the UK, in a letter addressed to the Secretary-General, responds that; “... the efforts of our two Governments to solve our differences should be pursued in a climate of mutual understanding…” October 24th, an Anglo-Argentine agreement is reached to open an Argentine State Airline Agency (LADE) office in Stanley. Also confirmed is the initiation of a regular air service from Argentina. 1. Air Lines of the State (LADE), an Argentine Company in charge of the regular as well as the temporary service, referred to in numbers (8) and (9) of the Joint Declaration, will open a commercial and operational agency in Port Stanley … 3. The crews and airplanes with which the services referred to in numeral (2) of this Agreement are used, will carry the same flight documentation that is de rigueur for crews and airplanes that perform internal flights over the Argentine continental territory and its operators will be exempt from payment of landing fees, levies or other charges …” 12 November 9th, tenders for the construction of a permanent airfield are received by the British Government. November 16th, near Stanley, the temporary Falklands air strip comes into operation with a weekly air service. “As the temporary airstrip was down, the Overseas Development Agency, with far more pressing claims on its tight budget, began to wonder what possible reason there was for a permanent airport...” 13 “Despite the good impression created by the Argentine workforce employed on the construction of the strips, (Governor) Lewis was confronted with the prospect of a demonstration on sovereignty by hardliners at the inaugural ceremony which was to be attended by numerous Argentine visitors, including press. This was only prevented by Lewis' persuasiveness, by a broadcast by a member of LegCo and by tight security measures.” 14 November 21st, in Stanley, a further round Anglo-Argentine negotiations commences.