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appeared. There will inevitably be a political price to
pay.
8.
We
The timing proposed is particularly unfortunate. have just negotiated with the Argentines, ad referendum
to Ministers, some major changes in the Interim
Reciprocal Information and Consultation System (IRICS).
Already the Argentine press, on the basis of leaks, is
portraying the changes as beneficial to Argentina.
Whilst we can show that these changes have actually
enhanced security on the Islands they will need to be
carefully presented to the Islanders. It will be that
much more difficult to do if the withdrawal of ENDURANCE
is already public. Furthermore, the Antarctic Conference is now underway in Madrid. There are those here who
advocate that the Secretariat to oversee the
implementation of the Environmental Protocol should be
located in the UK. To announce the withdrawal of
ENDURANCE now would certainly be regarded as an
indication of HMG's diminished interest in Antarctica and
undermine the case we might wish to deploy regarding the
Secretariat.
9.
In his minute to me of 13 June the Private Secretary said that the Secretary of State believed that we needed to take stock of our other overseas interests which might
affect Options for Change. These interests have also been
described in the draft minute.
M S BAKER-BATES
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