ABSTRACT
During the course of 1981 the FCO’s confidence in its ability to persuade the rest of the Government that it should take political risks in order to resolve the Falklands dispute or else accept the consequences of an unwillingness to negotiate on sovereignty declined. Its inability to persuade the islanders to move in Argentina’s direction was matched only by its inability to persuade other Departments of State to move in the islanders’ direction and make special provisions to sustain their economy and security.
