MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

CIA 1982 plan to hand Falklands to Argentina and relocate Islanders in Scotland

The memo titled “Solution to the Falkland Islands crisis” was written by Chairman of US National Intelligence Council Henry Rowen, addressed to Paul Wolfowitz

The population of the Falklands Islands could have been relocated to Scotland under a secret CIA plan, it has been revealed. United States planned to step in and hand the Islands to Argentina following the 1982 invasion, according to briefings rescued from the trove of 12 million documents published by the CIA on its website and discovered by the British media.

 The remarkable memo - titled “Solution to the Falkland Islands crisis” - was written by Chairman of the US National Intelligence Council Henry Rowen and addressed to Paul Wolfowitz, a Department of State advisor to president Ronald Reagan.

Early indications by the CIA pointed to Britain 'underestimating' the Argentine military in a war which was fought 8,000 miles away from London. He adds it is 'likely that many residents will find this sufficient inducement to relocate to some other area, perhaps in Scotland or elsewhere where conditions may be similar to the Falkland Islands'.

Rowen writes: “For a period of three years the inhabitants of the Falkland Islands will be given a chance to consider whether they wish to remain on the Falkland Islands or whether they wish to relocate to an area of British jurisdiction, either in the UK or elsewhere under British sovereignty, with a relocation grant of US$100,000 per person”

He adds it is “likely that many residents will find this sufficient inducement to relocate to some other area, perhaps in Scotland or elsewhere where conditions may be similar to the Falkland Islands”.

“Any residents who do not wish to relocate will be free to remain and become Argentinean citizens at the end of three years.

”The cost of the relocation grants to be paid to any residents of the Falkland Islands wishing to relocate elsewhere will be borne fifty/fifty by the Argentinian and British governments.“

He added that the total cost of such relocations would not exceed half that which Britain had spent dispatching troops to the region following the Argentinian invasion.

It goes on to say Argentina should pay penalties to Britain for damage caused in the invasion and also pay compensation for property reclaimed under the new sovereignty agreement.

This compensation would be decided by a panel bizarrely chaired by representatives of ”Malta, Austria and Finland“, or ”Malta, Switzerland and Austria.

The CIA website states the memo was published on January 1 - though this appears to be an estimate given the original paperwork is dateless. Rowen also reference the Argentinian invasion, meaning it must have been written some time after the outbreak of war on April 2.

Rowen died in 2015, but Wolfowitz is still around. He worked for George H Bush and was a strong supporter of the Iraq invasion and a group trying to accuse Saddam Hussein of having an atomic and chemical arsenal.

However his incompetence in Iraq, he was decisive in disbanding the Iraqi army and bureaucracy which only created more enemies of the invasion forced his removal. Promoted to World Bank president he had to step down given his misconduct in contracting his lover and other questionable actions.

In recent years limited releases of previously classified material have shined new light on the US's role in the Falklands War.

Reagan's administration officially took a neutral stance towards the war as it was concerned it could park anti-US resentment across South America.

Last month Argentina and Britain agreed to identify the bodies of 123 Argentine soldiers buried on the Falkland Islands.

Britain has been keen to improve relations with Argentina since pro-business President Mauricio Macri took over from Cristina Fernandez in December, although Argentina continues to claim sovereignty over the Islands.