Summary
of
Early
Diplomatic Activity
UN HQ, NEW YORK
1st April - UK ambassador warned UN
2nd - Resolution 502 introduced
3rd - Security Council passed Resolution 502
EEC, BRUSSELS
9th April - full support given to UK and sanctions
announced against Argentina
UN HQ, NEW YORK
End of April - peace proposals launched by Secretary
General
PERU
End of April - President Terry Belaunde initiated peace
proposals
Summary
of
Gen
Haig?s Shuttle Diplomacy
(1) London - 8th
April
(2) Buenos Aires - 9th/10th April
(3) London - 12th/13th
(4) Washington DC - 14th April
(5) Buenos Aires - 15th-19th
Summary
of
Main Falklands Area Operations
2nd April -
Argentine invasion
1st May - British Task Force launched first attacks on
Falklands
2nd May - Argentine cruiser ?General Belgrano? sunk
4th May - British destroyer ?Sheffield? hit by Exocet
British
Diplomatic Response - In
London, Mrs Thatcher directed Britain's diplomatic and
economic response to events. Across the Atlantic,
President Reagan tried to stay neutral and agreed to
Secretary Haig starting his shuttle diplomacy. The
United Nations was soon brought into the act by the
British ambassador there, and very much to Britain's
advantage, whilst equally unsuccessful in their attempts
to gain support was the junta in Buenos Aires
Leading
Personalities - Amongst the main politicians and
diplomats taking part were:
London
- Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher and inner cabinet, including Francis
Pym (successor to Lord Carrington), Foreign Affairs,
John Nott, Defence, William Whitelaw, Home Secretary
and Conservative Party Chairman Cecil Parkinson.
Washington D.C.
- President Ronald Reagan, Secretary of State
Alexander Haig, British ambassador Sir Nicholas
Henderson, Argentine ambassador Snr Esteban Takacs.
Buenos Aires -
General
Galtieri, Brigadier General Lami Dozo and Admiral
Anaya, and Foreign Minister, Snr Nicanor Costa Mendez.
United Nations, New York - Secretary General
Snr Javier
Perez de Cuellar, British ambassador Sir Anthony
Parsons, Argentine ambassadors Senors Eduardo Roca and
later Enrique Ros.
Support for Britain -
Britain had reacted to developments
in South Georgia through talks in London and Buenos
Aires, but as
invasion loomed, her international diplomacy moved into
top gear. Within days, a highly successful campaign
gained the support of the United Nations, the
EEC and NATO, and the Commonwealth.
In contrast Argentina even failed to win over the Organisation
of
American States (OAS). The first steps were taken
on Wednesday 31st March when
Sir Nicholas Henderson briefed Secretary Haig
in
Washington and President
Reagan was called on by Mrs Thatcher to warn off
President Galtieri, but
in this he was unsuccessful. Over the next four weeks,
America's attempts to be even-handed were not
appreciated by Mrs Thatcher, although in US terms,
having to choose between Latin American friend and main
European ally was no easy matter.
United Nations Activities
- On the evening of Thursday 1st April before invasion,
Sir Anthony
Parsons alerted the
United Nations and addressed the 15 member Security
Council. With confirmation next day that the invaders
were ashore, Resolution 502 was formally introduced.
Drafted by Britain, it called for an end to hostilities,
immediate withdrawal of Argentine forces, and for both
sides to seek a diplomatic solution. Voting was delayed
until Saturday to allow Snr
Costa Mendez to reach
New York, but to no
avail. That evening the vote took place in Britain's
favour with only Panama against, and Russia abstaining
along with Poland, China and Spain. Sir Anthony had laid
the main plank of Britain's diplomatic position over the
coming weeks.
Haig Shuttle Diplomacy
- Concerned about the prospect of war, Secretary
Haig and his team
flew
to London late on
Wednesday 7th April at the start of their two week,
30,000 mile shuttle mission. The basis of this and all
later peace plans were threefold - both side's forces to
withdraw from the Falklands, an interim administration
set up, and a long term settlement negotiated. In all
that follows, Argentina would not move far from its
demand for total sovereignty,
and Britain, with Resolution 502 behind her, insisted on
Argentine withdrawal and implicitly a return to the
status quo. Mr Haig visited both London and Buenos Aires
twice in his attempt to bring about a peaceful
settlement, but by the
19th April had to accept there was little chance of
success.
EEC Support - Before
then, on Good Friday 9th April, and after lobbying by
diplomats in
Brussels and directly
by Mrs Thatcher,
the EEC gave full
support to Britain and announced economic sanctions
against Argentina at least until the 17th May. These
included a total ban on imports and arms sales.
Effective Neutrality in
the Americas - Thus only a week after invasion,
Britain had wide support, the lead elements of the Task
Force were on their way and General
Galtieri realised
he had totally misjudged Britain's resolve and world
opinion, and that included the Americas. On Monday 26th
April, and some days after Argentina's request, foreign
ministers of the Organisation of American States met in
Washington DC and in
a vote two days later, accepted Argentine sovereignty
over the Falklands and called on Britain to cease
hostilities. But in what amounted to a diplomatic defeat
for the junta, endorsed Resolution 502.
US Support - By the
last day of April, President
Reagan had come to accept there was little chance of a
settlement and declared American support for Britain. He
offered military aid and announced sanctions against
Argentina. Mr Pym now returned to Washington as an ally,
but still committed to the search for peace, and as he
did, proposals were independently launched in the UN and
by Peru. Both
proposals were similar, but as events in the
South Atlantic escalated
from the first day of May and Britain's military options
became less with the onset of winter, neither had much
chance of success. The torpedoing of the cruiser
"General Belgrano" lost Britain much of her support,
especially in the EEC and as by now the Task Force was
bombarding the Falklands,
the last chances for
peace had realistically gone.
British Military Response
- But this was a long month in the making and followed
Britain's rapid military response. On Monday 29th March
orders were given for a fleet auxiliary to head south to
support HMS Endurance and for three nuclear submarines
to be prepared to follow. Two days later, British
intelligence confirmed the likelihood of invasion and
next day, on Thursday 1st April, the decision was taken
to send a Task Force and the first submarine left.