MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Falklands Invasion Foreign Office “Collusion” Allegation

Former Governor Denounces it as “Untrue”

An allegation of collusion between the British Foreign Office and Argentina over the 1982 Falkland Islands invasion providing for an immediate British surrender has been rejected as ";untrue"; by the Falklands Governor at the time, Sir Rex Hunt. The allegation has been made posthumously by a senior Conservative politician who later became a Defence Minister, Alan Clark, who died recently. His controversial Diaries currently being published in the Times quote him as writing on April 5th, 1982, three days after the invasion: ";I am certain that there has been collusion between the Foreign Office and the Argentine over this whole affair. Why were there no casualties among the Royal Marines? Seventy-five determined men, as the (Second World War) Battle of Arnhem demonstrated, to take but one example, can hold off greatly superior numbers just using small arms and bazookas from drains and cellars in territory that they know.

";I have started the rumour that there were sealed orders to the Governor to be opened when the invasion started, and that these orders were for him to declare an immediate ceasefire. I believe this to be true. ";I also believe that unofficial representations were made by the Foreign Office to the Argentine indicating that all would be well provided no British blood were shed. And what is more, I believe these unofficial contacts may still be taking place";. These allegations would be sensational if they had any credibility. But Sir Rex Hunt told Mercopress there is no truth in them. They are ";rubbish";, he said. His version of events are very different. He received no such sealed orders. He and his small contingent of Royal Marines valiantly resisted before surrendering to save lives. He had no sealed orders about surrendering. The invasion came as a surprise. He received a terse telegram from the Foreign Office in London, on the eve of invasion, declaring: ";We have apparently reliable evidence that an Argentine Task Force will gather off Cape Pembroke (Stanley Harbour entrance) early tomorrow morning. You will wish to make your dispositions accordingly";. Sir Rex famously