TNAG-1144-FCO40-1424-Hong-Kong-and-the-Falkland-Islands-crisis-1982 — Page 94

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CONFIDENTIAL

CONFIDENTIAL

AM REYKJAVIK 261200Z APR 82

TO IMMEDIATE FCO

TELEGRAM NUMBER 35 OF 26 APRIL

INFO PRIORITY GOVERNOR HONG KONG

YOUR TELEGRAM NO 53 OF 16 APRIL TO BERNE

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1. OWING TO A DELAY IN OUR RECEIVING GUIDANCE 59 AND OWING TO THE ABSENCE OF MINISTER JOHANNESSON AND PUS HELGASON ON AN OFFICIAL VISIT TO CHINA, I WAS UNABLE TO TAKE ACTION ON TEL UNDER REFERENCE UNTIL LATE LAST WEEK WHEN I SPOKE AS INSTRUCTED TO ACTING PUS, HAFSTEIN. HE SAID THAT ICELAND NEITHER MANUFACTURED NOR SUPPLIED ARMS TO ANY COUNTRY, TRADE BETWEEN ICELAND AND ARGENTINE WAS MINIMAL AND WOULD REMAIN SO, BECAUSE THERE IS A GOVERNMENT BAN ON THE IMPORTS OF ALL FRESH MEAT, FROM WHATEVER SOURCE.

2. HAFSTEIN SHOWED ME SOME SPEAKING NOTES WHICH HIS MINISTER HAD TAKEN WITH HIM TO CHINA. IN THE REFERENCE TO THE FALKLANDS DI SPUTE IT SAID THAT ICELAND WAS NEITHER PREPARED NOR WILLING TO COMMENT ON THE LEGAL AND CONSTITUTIONAL ASPECTS. THE PARAMOUNT FACTOR FOR ICELAND WAS THE PRINCIPLE OF THE RIGHT. OF SELF-DETERMINATION FOR THE PEOPLE OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS,

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3 ON THEIR RETURN FROM CHINA JOHANNESSON AND HELGASON WILL BE PAYING PURELY PRIVATE VISITS TO HONG KONG (3 5 MAY) AND LONDON (6 8 MAY). IF YOU THOUGHT IT USEFUL TO HAVE PERSONAL CONTACT WITH JOHANNESSON DURING HIS TIME IN LONDON, THE ICELANDIC EMBASSY WILL KNOW HIS WHEREABOUTS.

FCO PASS PRIORITY GOVERNOR HONG KONG

MCQUILLAN

(REPEATED AS REQUESTED)

FCO

S AM D

CABINET OFFICE

ADDITIONAL DISTRIBUTION

FALKLAND ISLANDS

COPIES TO

PS/CHANCELLOR

SIR K COUZENS ME LITTLHENG

ME HAWTIN

MR PERETZ

MR. ILETT

TREASURY

MISS DICKSON (EIP DIVN) D/ENERGY

SIR M PALLISER CABINET OFFICE

CONFIDENTIAL