ABSTRACT
Preparatory work in London prior to Pym’s trip was intensive and, at least as far as the FCO was concerned, this had to be constructive. The requirement to reach a position on counter-proposals obliged the Government to face questions of priorities. The US was not going to take seriously a paper that simply stressed the British position on every point: there had to be some sense of elements that were negotiable. If this was the only way to keep the process alive then authority was needed from the War Cabinet to develop proposals that displayed some flexibility. For each of the three elements of the packagewithdrawal, interim administration and final negotiation-this was not at all straightforward. Something that might seem common sense internationally, such as the simultaneous withdrawal of Argentine and British forces might raise objections at home.
