TNAG-1144-FCO40-1424-Hong-Kong-and-the-Falkland-Islands-crisis-1982 — Page 79

CONFIDENTIAL

WP.

GR 550

CONFIDENTIAL

FM PEKING 9708302 MAY 82

TO IMMEDIATE F C O

TELNO 268 OF 7 MAY

INFO IMMEDIATE UKMIS NEW YORK

AND SAVING INFO HONG KONG.

CHINESE PRESS COMMENT ON THE FALKLANDS

1. A COMMENTARY ENTITLED 'THE MALVINAS DISPUTE CANNOT BE SOLVED BY FORCE'', PUBLISHED IN THE PEOPLE'S DAILY OF 7 MAY, MARKS A FURTHER SHIFT IN THE CHINESE POSITION IN FAVOUR OF ARGENTINA.

2. THE COMMENTARY STATES THAT THE 'MALVINAS’’ DISPUTE HAS ESCALATED BECAUSE OF SUCCESSIVE BRITISH MILITARY ACTIONS. BOTH SIDES HAVE SUFFERED LOSSES. THE CONFLICT HAS BECOME BLOODY AND WORLD OPINION IS DISTURBED. THE DISPUTE, THE COMMENTARY CONTINUES, IS A COLONIAL PROBLEM LEFT OVER BY HISTORY. IT CAN ONLY BE SOLVED BY PEACEFUL DISCUSSION. THE ARGENTINIAN CLAIM TO SOVEREIGNTY OF THE MALVINAS HAS RECEIVED THE SUPPORT OF MANY NON-ALIGNED COUNTRIES. BOTH BRITAIN AND ARGENTINA HAVE REPEATEDLY EXPRESSED A WILLINGNESS FOR PEACEFUL NEGOTIATION AND ARGENTINA HAS MADE MANY PROPOSALS TO THIS END, SCR 572, WHICH WAS PASSED AT BRITAIN'S SUGGESTION, STRESSED THAT BOTH SIDES SHOULD CEASE MILITARY ACTION AND HOLD PEACEFUL NEGOTIATIONS.

3. MANY COUNTRIES, THE COMMENTARY GOES ON, HAVE CALLED ON BOTH SIDES TO SHOW RESTRAINT. YET EVEN WHILE THESE COUNTRIES WERE MAKING EFFORTS AT MEDIATION, THE BRITISH LAUNCHED MILITARY ATTACKS AGAINST THE MALVINAS ISLANDS AND PROVOKED BLOODY CLASHES. THE USE OF FORCE AND THE THREAT OF FORCE TO ATTAIN ONE'S OBJECTIVES IS NOT APPROPRIATE, CANNOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM, AND WILL ONLY MAKE THE SITUATION WORSE. THE WORLD HAS ENTERED THE 1980S AND AMBITIONS CANNOT BE FULFILLED BY RELIANCE ON GUNBOAT DIPLOMACY TO FORCE THE THIRD WORLD INTO SUBMISSION.

4. THE COMMENTARY CONTINUES THAT THE UNITED STATES PLAYED A MEDIATING ROLE IN THE EARLY STAGES OF THE CONFLICT, BUT IS NOW BIASED IN FAVOUR OF BRITAIN AND IS PUTTING PRESSURE ON ARGENTINA. IT IS PROBABLY RIGHT TO THINK THAT THIS ENCOURAGED BRITAIN TO TAKE MILITARY ACTION. THIS MAY RESULT IN UNFORTUNATE CONSEQUENCES FOR THE US, AS THE STRONG REACTION OF LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES AGAINST THE US PROVES.

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