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Archive (Reagan Library)

Falklands: White House record of telephone conversation (2300-2325Z) (Reagan-MT) [President calls MT urging ceasefire plan] [declassified 2016]

Document type: Declassified documents
Venue: White House Residence
Source: Reagan Library: Executive Secretariat NSC: NSC Subject file memcons Box 50 (ff1-14 of this item); Country File (UK) Box 20 (ff15-28)
Editorial comments:

1800-1825 EST. A full text of this telcon was released in 2016 and precedes the earlier redacted version, which is retained on this site to illuminate the nature of redaction, and as a visual reminder of how one-sided this conversation became. Several documents follow the telcon, including a list of talking points not all of which the President had the opportunity to convey, judging from the record. Most of MT's contributions to the conversation have been redacted by the US declassifiers, but the flavour of the conversation remains. A skimpier British record can also be found on the site, drawing on MT's recall rather than a tape, as well as a newspaper account of the conversation. It quotes phrases identical to some in this document, which presumably fell into the hands of the press.

Importance ranking: Key
Word count: 28pp
Themes: MT's meetings as PM, MT contacts with Ronald Reagan, British relations with the US, Foreign policy (USA), Foreign policy (International organizations), Defence (Falklands)