Summary
of Early Diplomatic Activity
UN HQ, NEW YORK
1st April - UK ambassador
warned UN
2nd - Resolution 502 introduced
3rd - Security Council passed
Resolution 502
EEC, BRUSSELS
9th April - full support
given to UK and sanctions announced
against Argentina
UN HQ, NEW YORK
End of April - peace proposals
launched by Secretary General
PERU
End of April - President Terry
Belaunde initiated peace proposals
Summary
of Gen Haigs Shuttle
Diplomacy
(1) London
- 8th
April
(2) Buenos
Aires - 9th/10th April
(3) London
- 12th/13th
(4) Washington
DC - 14th
April
(5)
Buenos Aires - 15th-19th
Summary
of Main Falklands Area Operations
2nd April - Argentine
invasion
1st May - British Task
Force launched first attacks on Falklands
2nd May - Argentine cruiser General
Belgrano sunk
4th May - British destroyer
Sheffield hit by Exocet
British
Diplomatic Response
- In
London, Mrs Thatcher directed Britain's diplomatic and
economic response to events. Across the Atlantic,
President Reagan tried to stay neutral and agreed to
Secretary Haig starting his shuttle diplomacy. The United
Nations was soon brought into the act by the British
ambassador there, and very much to Britain's advantage,
whilst equally unsuccessful in their attempts to gain
support was the junta in Buenos Aires
Leading Personalities -
Amongst the main politicians and diplomats taking part
were:
London - Prime Minister Margaret
Thatcher and inner cabinet, including Francis Pym
(successor to Lord Carrington), Foreign Affairs,
John Nott, Defence, William Whitelaw, Home
Secretary and Conservative Party Chairman Cecil
Parkinson.
Washington
D.C. - President Ronald Reagan,
Secretary of State Alexander Haig, British
ambassador Sir Nicholas Henderson, Argentine
ambassador Snr Esteban Takacs.
Buenos
Aires -
General Galtieri, Brigadier General Lami
Dozo and Admiral Anaya, and Foreign Minister, Snr
Nicanor Costa Mendez.
United Nations, New York - Secretary General Snr
Javier
Perez de Cuellar, British ambassador Sir Anthony
Parsons, Argentine ambassadors Senors Eduardo
Roca and later Enrique Ros.
Support
for Britain -
Britain had reacted to developments in South
Georgia through talks in London and Buenos Aires,
but as invasion loomed, her
international diplomacy moved into top gear. Within days,
a highly successful campaign gained the support of the United
Nations, the EEC and NATO, and the Commonwealth.
In contrast Argentina even failed to win over the Organisation
of American States (OAS). The first steps were taken
on Wednesday
31st March when Sir Nicholas
Henderson briefed Secretary Haig in Washington and
President Reagan was called on by Mrs
Thatcher to warn off President Galtieri, but in this he was unsuccessful.
Over the next four weeks, America's attempts to be
even-handed were not appreciated by Mrs Thatcher,
although in US terms, having to choose between Latin
American friend and main European ally was no easy
matter.
United Nations
Activities - On the evening of Thursday 1st April before invasion, Sir Anthony Parsons alerted
the United Nations and addressed
the 15 member Security Council. With confirmation next
day that the invaders were ashore, Resolution 502 was
formally introduced. Drafted by Britain, it called for an
end to hostilities, immediate withdrawal of Argentine
forces, and for both sides to seek a diplomatic solution.
Voting was delayed until Saturday to allow Snr Costa Mendez to reach New York, but to no avail. That evening the vote
took place in Britain's favour with only Panama against,
and Russia abstaining along with Poland, China and Spain.
Sir Anthony had laid the main plank of Britain's
diplomatic position over the coming weeks.
Haig Shuttle Diplomacy
- Concerned about the prospect of war, Secretary Haig and
his team
flew to London late
on Wednesday 7th April at the start of their two week,
30,000 mile shuttle mission. The basis of this and all
later peace plans were threefold - both side's forces to
withdraw from the Falklands, an interim administration
set up, and a long term settlement negotiated. In all
that follows, Argentina would not move far from its
demand for total sovereignty, and Britain, with Resolution 502
behind her, insisted on Argentine withdrawal and
implicitly a return to the status quo. Mr Haig visited
both London and Buenos Aires twice in his attempt to
bring about a peaceful settlement, but by the 19th April had to accept there was little
chance of success.
EEC
Support - Before
then, on Good Friday 9th April, and after lobbying by diplomats in Brussels and directly by Mrs
Thatcher, the EEC gave full support to Britain and
announced economic sanctions against Argentina at least
until the 17th May.
These included a total ban on imports and arms sales.
Effective Neutrality in
the Americas - Thus only a week after invasion,
Britain had wide support, the lead elements of the Task
Force were on their way and General Galtieri
realised he had totally misjudged
Britain's resolve and world opinion, and that included
the Americas. On Monday 26th April, and some days after Argentina's request,
foreign ministers of the Organisation of American States
met in
Washington DC and in a
vote two days later, accepted Argentine sovereignty over
the Falklands and called on Britain to cease hostilities.
But in what amounted to a diplomatic defeat for the
junta, endorsed Resolution 502.
US
Support - By the last day of April, President Reagan had come
to accept there was little chance of a settlement and
declared American support for Britain. He offered
military aid and announced sanctions against Argentina.
Mr Pym now returned to Washington as an ally, but still
committed to the search for peace, and as he did,
proposals were independently launched in the UN and by
Peru. Both proposals
were similar, but as events in the South Atlantic escalated from the first day of May and Britain's military options
became less with the onset of winter, neither had much
chance of success. The torpedoing of the cruiser "General
Belgrano" lost
Britain much of her support, especially in the EEC and as
by now the Task Force was bombarding the
Falklands, the last chances for peace had
realistically gone.
British
Military Response
- But this was a long month in the making and followed
Britain's rapid military response. On Monday 29th March orders were given for a fleet
auxiliary to head south to support HMS Endurance and for three nuclear submarines
to be prepared to follow. Two days later, British
intelligence confirmed the likelihood of invasion and
next day, on Thursday 1st April, the decision was taken to send a Task
Force and the first submarine left.