British government warned in 1976 to seek deal over Falklands
London (dpa) - The British government was warned as early as 1976 that Argentina had plans to invade the Falkland Islands and was urged to negotiate over the South Atlantic Islands, National Archives published Friday showed.
Documents placed in the National Archives 30 years ago reveal that then Labour prime minister Harold Wilson was warned by officials that a conflict might be inevitable.
Argentina invaded the Falklands in 1982, when the Conservatives under ex-prime minister Margaret Thatcher were in power, leading to a war that cost more than 900 lives, 655 Argentine and 255 British.
In the Cabinet papers, made public for the first time, officials warned Wilson that negotiations had to be restarted with Argentina - not least because Britain had "few international friends" over the historic dispute.
The islands are a British dependent territory, but Argentina maintained a claim to their sovereignty.
"The foreign secretary's conclusion is that we must yield some ground and that our best source is to be prepared to discuss a lease-back arrangement with the Argentines," wrote key adviser John Hunt.
James (Jim) Callaghan was British foreign secretary at the time.
Hunt argued that Argentina was on a "collision course" with Britain and could not afford to back down.
"There are many ways in which Argentina could act against us, including invasion of the islands... and that we are not in a position to reinforce and defend the islands as a long-term commitment," the papers said.
"The alternative of standing firm and taking the consequences is accordingly not practicable." // © 2006 DPA
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