TNAG-0836-FCO40-1044-Comprehensive-Test-Ban-Treaty-national-seismic-stations-on-U-1979 — Page 8

"

2

CONFIDENTIAL and Personal

Continuation

4.

No security problems are envisaged and local building labour would be available if required. There could be a problem with accommodation for installation and main- tenance teams, particularly if the latter were here for any length of time during the tourist season April to October inclusive.

P

-

!!

Your ww

Richard Hand

R R Hand

CONFIDENTIAL and Personal

(w/21

08/

HH

P 142225Z MAR

FM HMS ENDURANCE

TO MODUX NAVY

BT

CONFIDENTIAL

SIC

PLEASE PASS FOLLOWING TO FCO, ACDD FROM GOVERNOR FALKLAND ISLANDS MODUK. DS11 FOR NORBURY

SAVING TO BUENOS AIRES

MISS LAWRENCES LETTER OF MARCH TO ACDD: COMPREHENSIVE

TEST BAN TREATY

1. THE PROPOSALS SET OUT IN YOUR SAVING TELEGRAMS,

NUMBERS 51 AND 52 TO ST HELENA AND TO UNNUMBERED BUENOS AIRES HAVE NOW BEEN DISCUSSED.

IN STRICT CONFIDENCE, WITH DR LAWS OF THE BRITISH

ANTARCTIC SURVEY (BAS) AND CAPTAIN LORD OF HMS ENDURANCE. 12. DEALING FIRST WITH THE FALKLAND ISLANDS, SEEN FROM

HERE THERE IS NO REASON WHY PORT STANLEY SHOULD BE EXCLUDED FROM THE LIST OF POTENTIAL NSS STATIONS. IT COULD IN FACT BE EMBARRASSING TO DO SO SHOULD THE ARGENTINE CLAIM HAVE TO BE REVEALED AS THE REASON. MOREOVER, FEASIBLE ACCESS, PARTICULARLY BY THE RUSSIANS.

•

7 COULD BE BY SEA, APART FROM THIS, YOUR VIEW OF THE POLITICAL

AND CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS IS AGREED.

3. DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE EQUIPMENT AND CONSTRUCTION PARTY REQUIRED, THE MAIN CONSTRAINTS IN ALL THREE TERRITORIES WILL BE THE PROVISION OF CONSTRUCTION LABOUR AND ACCOMMODATION. IDEALLY AN ICE STRENGTHENED SHIP WITH DRILLING RIG AND SELF-SUPPORTING TEAM SHOULD BE MADE AVAILABLE. THERE WOULD BE NO PROBLEMS OVER SECURITY AND MAINTENANCE PROVIDED THE SITES ARE ADJACENT TO EXISTING BASES, PREFERABLY, AS REGARDS THE BAT, AT SIGNY IN THE SOUTH ORKNEYS OR, LESS SUITABLY. AT FARADAY IN THE PENINSULA, AN INITIAL RECONNAISSANCE MIGHT BE REQUIRED WHICH

•

COULD BE UNDERTAKEN BY HMS ENDURANCE.

4. NO LEGISLATIVE DIFFICULTIES IN REGARD TO THE THEORETICAL POSSIBILITY OF ON/SITE INSPECTIONS (DSI) ARE FORESEEN.

BT

NNNN

ро

080/492/1

Arms Control & Disarmament Dept FCO:

083/501/1

BRITISH FMBASSY

BUENOS AIRES

9 March 1979

HOFS

W/21

JM. Birk 22) 16 A 17arshall T. with CTB

1650M MISSIUM TO L

$13 MARI979

: This confirms what we then calls

19

13.

thoughts

5711

22/3 umore

$

Yes, but rese

же

Mr Wether fo(823)

W

thought needed, I think Mr Edmond 123/3

COMPREHENSIVE TEST BAN TREATY : TOSSIBILITY OF A NATIONAL SEISMIC STATION IN THE FALKLANDS

! tue

1. Thank you for your (unnumbered and undated) Saving telegram to us about the Russian proposal for NOS sites in the Falklands, and South Georgia..

1

ME

Fubley 9/01

2. If an NSS were established in Port Stanley or South Georgia the Argentines, or at least certain influential figures here, might well choose to see in it a facility to monitor their activities. We would hope to be able to explain the real function of the station to those who do Anot have a closed mind on British activities in the South.

Atlantic, but would also be up against the Argentine inclin- ation to conspiracy theories which in this case could lead to suspicions of Anglo-American-Soviet collusion to increase their presence in the South Atlantic. The current interest

here in the development of a national nuclear programme adds Ito Argentine sensitivities.

3.

More important, in Argentine eyes however, would be the interpretation of an NSS as a "unilateral modification in the situation" of the Falklands and Dependencies during the Anglo/Argentina negotiations, and contrary to paragraph 4 of resolution 31/49 of the UN, taken in 1976. We would expect them to object strongly, basing themselves on the grounds that an NSS in Port Stanley or South Georgia could imply an act of recognition of the Islands as a UK dependency in the eyes of third parties, ie the United States and Soviet Union. On these grounds, a station in South Georgis could be as objectionable to them as one in Port Stanley. The Americans and Russians could also expect pressure from the Argentines to reverse the proposal.

い

CONFIDENTIAL

14.