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Subject: Defence (Falklands). Importance level: 1-Key.

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Info only 79 Jul 20 Fr Chronology Key [Chronology] Falklands: Ridley's first visit, floats leaseback (ended 26 Jul)
PDF 79 Jul 21 Sa Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: FCO record of conversation (Nicholas Ridley, Falkland Island Councillors) [taxation, agriculture, oil industry, nationality, cooperation with Argentina] [declassified 2012]
PDF 79 Sep 20 Th Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: Carrington minute to MT ("Falkland Islands") [Carrington's copy] [declassified 2012]
PDF 79 Sep 20 Th Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: Carrington minute to MT ("Falkland Islands") [MT comments on leaseback scheme: "I could not possibly agree to the line the Foreign Secretary is proposing"] [declassified 2012]
Info only 80 Sep 10 We Chronology Key [Chronology] Falklands: Ridley secret meeting with Argentinians to explore leaseback (ended 11 Sep)
PDF 80 Sep 10 We Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: FCO record of Anglo-Argentine Ministerial talks on the Falklands (Ridley-Cavandoli secret meeting near Geneva, 10-11 Sep) [leaseback with 99 year term agreed as basis to proceed] [declassified 2010]
PDF 80 Nov 7 Fr Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Cabinet: Minutes of Defence and Oversea Policy Committee - OD(80) 23rd (Falkland Islands, Health of the Alliance) [OD approves Ridley putting leaseback to Falkland Islanders] [declassified 2010]
Info only 80 Nov 22 Sa Chronology Key [Chronology] Falklands: Ridley's second visit, urging leaseback - mixed reception (ended 29 Nov)
Info only 80 Dec 2 Tu Chronology Key [Chronology] Falklands: HC statement by Nick Ridley on leaseback - mauled by MPs
Audio 80 Dec 2 Tu Multimedia Key Nicholas Ridley HC: Statement by Nicholas Ridley ("Falkland Islands") [minister savaged] [audio]
PDF 80 Dec 2 Tu Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: No.10 minute to MT ("Falkland Islands: Mr Ridley's statement") [leaseback - "Mr Ridley had an awful time in the House this afternoon"] [declassified 2012]
PDF 81 Mar 13 Fr Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: Carrington minute to MT ("Falkland Islands") [report on Anglo-Argentine talks in New York - Carrington's copy] [declassified 2012]
PDF 81 Mar 13 Fr Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: Carrington minute to MT ("Falkland Islands") [report on Anglo-Argentine talks in New York] [declassified 2012]
PDF 81 May 13 We Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Defence: Nott minute to MT (views of First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir Henry Leach, on defence programme) [Leach disagrees with Nott's proposals] [declassified 2011]
PDF 81 May 18 Mo Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Defence: First Sea Lord minute to MT ("The Defence Programme") ["I am confident that you will at least spare two minutes to read this note...before you and your Cabinet colleagues consider a proposition to substantially dismantle the Navy"] [declassified 2011]
PDF 81 May 18 Mo Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Defence: No.10 record of conversation (MT-Whitelaw-Carrington-Chancellor of the Exchequer-Joseph-Nott-Armstrong) ["Defence Programme"] [declassified 2011]
PDF 81 Jun 30 Tu Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: Fearn minute to Ure ("Falkland Islands: Strategy Meeting") [draft record of meeting of FCO officials, Falklands Governor Hunt and UK Ambassador to Buenos Aires] [declassified 2012]
PDF 81 Sep 14 Mo Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: Carrington minute to MT ("Falkland Islands") [state of play regarding Falklands dispute - Carrington copy of minute] [declassified 2012]
PDF 81 Sep 14 Mo Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: Carrington minute to MT ("Falkland Islands") [state of play in Anglo-Argentine dispute] [declassified 2012]
PDF 81 Oct 2 Fr Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: UK Ambassador to Buenos Aires letter to Fearn ("Falkland Islands Strategy") ["In effect, as I understand it, the decision is to have no strategy at all beyond a general Micawberism"] [declassified 2012]
PDF 82 Feb 26 Fr Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: FCO record of conversation (Luce, Ros and officials) ["Anglo-Argentine Ministerial Talks on the Falkland Islands: New York, 26/27 February 1982"] [declassified 2012]
PDF 82 Feb 26 Fr Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: FCO record of Anglo-Argentine Ministerial talks on the Falkland Islands in New York (First Session) [declassified 2012]
PDF 82 Feb 26 Fr Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: FCO record of Anglo-Argentine Ministerial talks on the Falkland Islands in New York (Second Session) [declassified 2012]
PDF 82 Feb 27 Sa Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: FCO record of Anglo-Argentine Ministerial talks on the Falkland Islands in New York (Third Session) [declassified 2012]
PDF 82 Feb 27 Sa Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: FCO record of Anglo-Argentine Ministerial talks on the Falkland Islands in New York (Fourth Session) [declassified 2012]
PDF 82 Feb 27 Sa Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: FCO record of Anglo-Argentine Ministerial talks on the Falkland Islands in New York (Annexes) [declassified 2012]
PDF 82 Mar 2 Tu Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: UKE Washington telegram 671 to FCO (0030Z) ("Falkland Islands") [Luce meeting with Enders] [declassified 2012]
PDF 82 Mar 2 Tu Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: UKE Buenos Aires telegram 57 to FCO (1742Z) ("Falklands Talks: Argentine Press Comment") [separate Argentine statement undercuts agreed communique - MT copy] [declassified 2012]
PDF 82 Mar 2 Tu Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: UKE Buenos Aires telegram 57 to FCO (1742Z) ("Falklands Talks: Argentine Press Comment") [Argentine press comment on Anglo-Argentine talks in New York] [declassified 2012]
PDF 82 Mar 2 Tu Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: UKE Buenos Aires telegram 58 to FCO (1755Z) ("Falklands Talks") [Argentine statement following Anglo-Argentine talks in New York - Carrington copy] [declassified 2012]
PDF 82 Mar 3 We Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: UKE Buenos Aires telegram 60 to FCO (1735Z) ("Falklands Talks") [further Argentine press comment following Anglo-Argentine talks in New York] [declassified 2012]
PDF 82 Mar 3 We Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: UKE Buenos Aires telegram 60 to FCO (1735Z) ("Falklands Talks: Argentine Press Comment") [MT: "We must make contingency plans"] [declassified 2012]
PDF 82 Mar 8 Mo Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: No.10 letter to FCO ("Falkland Islands") ["On her copy of Buenos Aires telegram no. 60 of 3 March the Prime Minister minuted: "we must make contingency plans""] [declassified 2012]
Info only 82 Mar 19 Fr Chronology Key [Chronology] Falklands: illegal Argentine landing on South Georgia detected by BAS; London informed 20 Mar
PDF 82 Mar 20 Sa Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: Governor Falklands flash telegram to FCO (1125Z) ("Illegal Landing on S. Georgia") ["shots fired Argentine flag hoisted notices in English changed to Spanish"] [declassified 2012]
PDF 82 Mar 23 Tu Declassified documents Key Archive (Argentine Archivo General de la Nación) Argentine Junta: Military Committee minutes No.2"M"/82 (c2100Z) (English translation, Spanish transcription & Spanish original) [Costa Mendez to play for time with the British; reciprocity to be sought from US between Nicaragua & Malvinas issues] [declassified 2013]
PDF 82 Mar 24 We Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: Carrington minute to MT ("Falkland Islands") ["we may now face the prospect of an early confrontation with Argentina" - MT copy] [declassified 2012]
PDF 82 Mar 24 We Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: Carrington minute to MT ("Falkland Islands") ["we may now face the prospect of an early confrontation with Argentina"] [declassified 2012]
PDF 82 Mar 24 We Declassified documents Key Archive (Argentine Archivo General de la Nación) Argentine Junta: Military Committee minutes No.3"M"/82 (English translation, Spanish transcription & Spanish original) [decision to bring forward planning to invade the Falklands] [declassified 2013]
PDF 82 Mar 25 Th Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: FCO telegram 72 to UKE Buenos Aires (2030Z) ("South Georgia") [compromise proposal to regularise presence of Argentine party at Leith - "ultimate effort of goodwill"] [declassified 2012]
PDF 82 Mar 26 Fr Declassified documents Key Archive (Argentine Archivo General de la Nación) Argentine Junta: Military Committee minutes No.4"M"/82 (c2215Z) (English translation, Spanish transcription & Spanish original) [decision to invade the Falklands] [declassified 2013]
PDF 82 Mar 27 Sa Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: UKE Buenos Aires telegram 110 to FCO (1400Z) ("South Georgia") ["...growing impression that Costa Mendez has been less than honest with me and that, in fact, the Argentines have been playing us along"] [declassified 2012]
Text 82 Mar 28 Su Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: No.10 record of conversation (2215Z) (MT, Carrington) ["an open challenge on sovereignty"] [declassified 2024]
PDF 82 Mar 30 Tu Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: FCO telegram 98 to UKE Tel Aviv (for Carrington PS) (2120Z) ("South Georgia") [two reports from secret sources of Argentine intentions; Anaya briefing to naval staff on 28 March saying incident was not contrived but had come "at a wonderful time"] [declassified Mar 2016]
PDF 82 Mar 30 Tu Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: SIS UKE Buenos Aires signal to GCHQ (1640Z) (decrypted Argentine signal) [British Naval Attaché comments: "This looks serious and suggests a recce of an invasion beach on the West of East Falkland"] [declassified May 2023]
PDF 82 Mar 30 Tu Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: GCHQ intercept of Argentine signal ("Argentine submarine force commander gives instructions relating to possible submarine threat, and also to reconnaissance mission") ["reconnaissance of the beach and/or disembarkation [word garbled]"] [declassified May 2023]
PDF 82 Mar 31 We Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: Acting Chief of Defence Staff briefing for Nott (?before 1700Z) ("Falkland Islands") [updated military options before OD tomorrow; plus draft and criticism of it as too negative] [declassified Jul 2017]
Info only 82 Mar 31 We Chronology Key [Chronology] Falklands: Argentine invasion learned to be imminent - likely to be Friday; MT evening meeting at her room in House of Commons
PDF 82 Mar 31 We Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: MT message to President Reagan (2025Z) (intelligence reports Argentine navy preparing to invade) [MT asks Reagan to intervene with Galtieri] [declassified 2012]
PDF 82 Apr 1 Th Declassified documents Key Archive (TNA) Falklands: FCO telegram 48 to Port Stanley (1825Z) ("Argentine Action Against the Falkland Islands") ["We now have reliable evidence that an Argentine task force will gather off Cape Pembroke early tomorrow morning ... You (and Buenos Aires) will wish to make your dispositions accordingly"] [declassified 2012]

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