BRITAINS'S FALKLANDS FUTURE-THE NEED TO LOOK BACK

In: The round table: the Commonwealth journal of international affairs, Heft 290, S. 139-152

Abstract

WHEN SURVEYING THE OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR THE SETTLEMENT OF THE LONG-STANDING FALKLANDS DISPUTE, THE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE SHOULD NOT, INDEED CANNOT, BE IGNORED, ESPECIALLY AS EVEN THE EVENTS OF 1982 ARE HISTORY NOW. SHACKLED BY HISTORY-BOUND BY PAST COMMITMENTS AND RIVAL VERSIONS OF THE FALKLANDS PAST -BOTH DISPUTANTS HAVE POSSESSED LITTLE ROOM FOR COMPROMISE, THEREBY HINDERING THE PROSPECTS FOR A NEGOTIATED SETTLEMENT. THE HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE, DEFINED AS A VIEWPOINT TAKING ACCOUNT OF BOTH BRITISH AND ARGENTINE VERSIONS OF THE PAST, MUST BE INTEGRATED INTO ANY DEBATE ON THE FUTURE; THUS, 'GOING FORWARD WITH HISTORY' SHOULD BE AN ESSENTIAL PART OF ANY INFORMED AND OBJECTIVE APPRAISAL OF THE FALKLANDS FUTURE, ALONG WITH SUCH CONSIDERATIONS AS INTERNATIONAL, MILITARY AND GEOGRAPHICAL REALITIES. CLEARLY, A RANGE OF POLICY OPTIONS EXIST, AND EACH ONE INVOLVES ITS OWN COSTS AND BENEFITS. PERHAPS, AS THIS AUTHOR ARGUED IN 1981-82, A LEASE-BACK SCHEME REMAINS THE MOST ACCEPTABLE MANNER OF RECONCILING THE VARIOUS PROBLEMS, FOR ARGENTINA WILL SECURE SOVEREIGNTY, WHILE THE ISLANDERS WILL RETAIN BRITISH ADMINISTRATION. BUT, EVEN A LEASE-BACK SCHEME FAILS TO OFFER A FINAL SOLUTION, AND THE EXAMPLE OF HONG KONG DURING 1983 DEMONSTRATES THE PROBLEM OF WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE LEASE EXPIRES. AT LEAST, A LEASE WILL PROVIDE AN INTERIM SOLUTION, AND THIS MIGHT PROVE THE MOST REALISTIC GOAL AT THE PRESENT STAGE OF THE ANGLO-ARGENTINE RELATIONSHIP. IN TIME, A MORE DURABLE SOLUTION MIGHT BECOPY: 1984