Falklands Idea ‘A Fairy Tale’

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31865, 18 December 1968, Page 19

Falklands Idea ‘A Fairy Tale’

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) ■ LONDON, December 17. The British Foreign Secretary (Mr Michael Stewart) has described as “a fairy tale” the idea that Britain intends to “sell out” the Falkland Islands to win an order from Argentina for warships.

The "Daily Express” claimed in a front-page report yesterday that Argentina was holding up a £som order pending an agreement over Argentina's claim to the British colony in the South Atlantic. A Conservative M.P., Mr Roger Gresham Cooke, later asked in Parliament: “Is it true that there was this proposed sell-out of the Falkland Islanders in order to bring off a big arms deal with the Argentine?” Mr Stewart replied: “You keep making up new fairy tales of your own.” The “Daily Express" reported that Argentina was using the proposed deal for submarines and frigates—which, the newspaper said, could ultimately be worth £2oom—to press Britain to hand over the Falklands to her. The article added that Lord Chalfont had visited Buenos Aires, after going to the Falklands, last month to secure the order.

Mr Stewart faced a barrage :; of questions in the House of i Commons on the future of the • islands, which are only 300 • miles from Argentina. i The former Prime Minister. . Sir Alec Douglas-Home, asked ■ whether any British-Argentine ■ agreement would be put to the Falklanders before it was signed. Mr Stewart replied: “Yes. 1 think I can say that—although, of course, this still (lies in the future, because the main purpose of Lord Chalfont’s visit (to the Falklands) was to describe progress and to explain the way in which the British Government was handling this matter.”