TNAG-2647-FCO40-3840-Visa-waiver-agreement-between-Hong-Kong-and-Argentina-1992 — Page 16

CONFIDENTIAL UK COMMS ONLY

347

MDHIAN 0823.

4.

FALKLANDS' ARBITRATION. DI TELLA CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NO ARGENTINE PROPOSAL TO TAKE THE ISSUE TO INTERNATIONAL ARBITRATION. PRESIDENT MENEM HAD BEEN AT FAULT IN SUGGESTING THAT SUCH AN IDEA FORMED PART OF ARGENTINA'S GAME-PLAN. MR GAREL-JONES TWITTED DI TELLA BY SUGGESTING THAT SOME IN LONDON HAD ARGUED THAT WE SHOULD SAY SNAP TO ANY PROPOSED ARBITRATION BECAUSE WE HAD NO DOUBT WE WOULD WIN. DI TELLA COMMENTED THAT GIVEN THE TENDENCY OF THE INTERNATIONAL COURT TO GIVE WEIGHT BOTH TO LENGTH OF TENURE AND THE WISHES OF INHABITANTS, HE HAD NURSED SIMILAR DOUBTS.

5. DI TELLA WENT ON TO CONFIRM THE VALIDITY OF THE UMBRELLA FORMULA AS THE LYNCH-PIN OF OUR NEWLY RE-ESTABLISHED RELATIONS. LIKE ALL ARGENTINES, HE WAS OF COURSE COMMITTED TO FINDING A WAY FORWARD TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM IN ARGENTINA'S FAVOUR. BUT ARGENTINA'S VIEW WAS NOT STATIC. HIS RECENT REFERENCE TO THE WISHES OF FALKLAND ISLANDERS AS SOMETHING ARGENTINA WOULD NECESSARILY TAKE ACCOUNT OF HAD BEEN DELIBERATE. HE REALISED THAT THIS WOULD GIVE THEM A PERMANENT VETO ON ANY FUTURE PROPOSED CHANGE IN THEIR STATUS. DI TELLA SAID THAT ANY SOLUTION WOULD INVOLVE GIVING THE FALKLAND ISLANDS A SPECIAL STATUS. HE ADDED THAT ARGENTINA WOULD BE READY TO MAKE SUBSTANTIAL PAYMENTS TO THE ISLANDERS.

6.

MR GAREL-JONES ASSURED DI TELLA THAT NO BRITISH POLITICIAN HAD ''IMPERIALIST'' PRETENSIONS: NOR DID THE ISLANDS HAVE STRATEGIC OR ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE FOR US. OUR COMMITMENT WAS TO DEFEND THE ISLANDERS' RIGHT TO SELF-DETERMINATION AND TO RESPECT THEIR WISHES.

ARGENTINE FOREIGN POLICY. DI TELLA SAID THAT THERE WAS NOW AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ARGENTINA TO CONSOLIDATE HER POSITION AS A SERIOUS AND RELIABLE MEMBER OF THE WORLD COMMUNITY. SHE WANTED TO DEFINE HER ROLE. ONE CONCEPT WAS THE POSSIBILITY OF A NEW TREATY-BOUND SOUTH ATLANTIC ARRANGEMENT (PERHAPS A SORT OF SATO) LINKING ARGENTINA WITH HER IMMEDIATE NEIGHBOURS (BRAZIL AND URUGUAY), BRITAIN AND SOUTH AFRICA. SUCH AN ORGANISATION'S TERMS OF REFERENCE COULD INCLUDE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION REGIMES, SEARCH AND RESCUE (SAR) AND THE COORDINATION OF DEFENCE POLICIES, TO INCLUDE JOINT EXERCISES AND PATROLLING. COLLABORATION WITH, FOR INSTANCE, THE BRITISH NAVY COULD HAVE A SALUTARY EFFECT FOR THE ARGENTINE ARMED FORCES, AND WOULD HELP TO BED DOWN THEIR NEW- FOUND RESPECT FOR THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS. DI TELLA ASKED THAT THIS IDEA BE PUT ON THE AGENDA FOR THE IMPENDING ANGLO-ARGENTINE PLANNING TALKS.