TNAG-1143-FCO40-1423-Hong-Kong-and-the-Falkland-Islands-crisis-1982 — Page 61

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claim for the representative of the European Commission, since

the Commission has also given us strong support. Likewise,

the representatíves in London of Hong Kong and of the Cayman

Islands have a definite claim because of the practical support

temtones

which both colonies have given. All these would need to be

individually invited even if the Corps as a whole was given a

general circular invitation.

10. If selective invitations are issued, consideration also

needs to be given to inviting temporary Heads of Mission,

listed at Annex 'D'. Of those Missions currently headed by

Chargés d'Affaires or Acting High Commissioners, Mauritius has

a strong claim to be invited since they gave us good support

(until the Government changed on 11 June since when they have

been much more ambivalent), and so has Ghana. This would

bring the total to be invited up to

would need to be invited. If it was decided to proces eithe:

by a general notification of the Diplomatic Corps, or by

inviting only the Commonwealth and NATO, Chargés d'Affaires

and Acting High Commissioners, as appropriate, should be

included.

None of the others

11. If selective invitations are issued, a particularl

difficulty arises over whether the Irish Ambassador should be

invited. The main argument in favour of an invitation is tha

two Irish servicemen were killed fighting with the Task Force

and others may be missing. A decision to exclude Dr Kennedy

would also almost certainly be badly received in the Republic

not least because on present plans he would be the only EC

Ambassador not invited to the Service. But despite initial

Irish participation in Community sanctions against Argentina

Mr Haughey's subsequent handling of the Falklands crisis ran

directly counter to British interests and his Ambassador's

presence at the Service could well provoke an adverse public

Lond

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