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Possible Solutions
5.
We must take one step at a time. First, the Islanders must recover fully from their experience and there must be a fundamental change of heart by Argentina. Only then will it be realistic to work substantively on future options for the
Falkland Islands. As the Prime Minister has said, it is
obviously premature for either the Islanders or ourselves to
speculate now about specific policies.
6.
The Prime Minister has also made it very clear that the wishes of the Islanders are paramount. We take the Islanders' wishes to be their expression of where they judge their
interests to lie.
7.
Of the various formulae canvassed for international/
multilateral solutions, one must address oneself first to the
question of how they could reassure the Islanders against further Argentine aggression. Suggestions for tripartite or multilateral arrangements could only work with full Argentine
cooperation. It is not practical to pursue them in the light of
current Argentine attitudes.
Multilateral Initiatives
8.
As the Prime Minister said in winding up the Commons
Debate on the Franks Report on 26 January, it would be premature
for either the Islanders or ourselves to speculate, as has been done both in the House and in the media, about specific policies
for the long-term future.
UN Trusteeship
9.
This would only work satisfactorily with full Argentine
cooperation. It would have to be acceptable to the Islanders.
The process of consultation with the Islanders about their
future is still in its early stages and it would be wrong to
rush them. In the longer term, in considering such ideas as UN
Trusteeship (etc) the Islanders would naturally look in the
first place for reassurance against further Argentine
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