TNAG-1142-FCO40-1422-Hong-Kong-and-the-Falkland-Islands-crisis-1982 — Page 33

2

In the case of the Falklands, the majority of the population

are British and they prefer British rule.

John D. Young: The question of sovereignty over the Falklands

is a long-standing issue still unresolved. The British Prime

Minister, Mrs. Margaret Thatcher, has never asserted British's

absolute claim over the islands, she is mainly against the use

of force by Argentina to settle the issue. She hopes that

through the mediation of the US Secretary of State, General

Alexander Haig, Argentina would agree to withdraw her troops

before holding discussion on the issue of sovereignty.

therefore obvious that the main problem arises from the use of

force.

It is

Tsang Tak-sing : Argentina should have sovereignty over the

Falklands.

I can hardly credit the logic that as the Falklands

were first discovered by the British they should therefore belong

to Britain.

Liu Jia-ju : We can look at the issue of sovereignty from a

historical as well as a practical point of view. History shows

that very often, sovereignty can be changed through negotiations

among the countries concerned.

The Falklands Crisis and the International Situation

C.K. Lang: Argentina would stand to lose more than gain if

she persisted in fighting the British. The European Economic

Community has already initiated a series of economic sanctions

and arms embargo against Argentina, certain western countries

/like