UEUHLI WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM PAGE E1 OF 62 IIC JIR 1611 DTG 1717152 APR B2 SIT2IE TDR DISTRIBUTION NONE INFO CSE IIT DATED 17 APRIL 1932 THE FOLLOWING IS AN IMMEDIATE 325 I A 29 PREPARED BY THE LATIN AMERICA CURRENT INTELLIGENCE GROUP AT THEIR MEETING WHICH ENDED AT NOON ON 17 APRIL 1932 FALKLAND ISLANDS - 17 APRIL 1982 - TOP SECRET UMBRA - DELICATE SOURCE UNI TED KINGDOM CLASSIFIED MAIN POINTS A LARGE PART OF THE ARGENTINE FLEET IS BELIEVED TO BE AT SEA ARG- ENTINA HAS REOUESTED OF THE FALKLAND ISLANDS FDR 21-23 APRIL TERRORIST ORGANISATIONS HAVE THREATENED BRITISH CITIZENS AND INTERESTS IN ARGENTINA AND URUGUAY ARGENTINA HAS PREPARED A DRAFT NOTE FOR INVOKING ACTION UNDER THE RIO TREATY THE SOVIET UNION IS REPORTED TO BE READY TO OFFER ARGENTINA SHIPS AIRCRAFT AND LAND BASED NISSILES IN EXCHANGE FOR GRAIN THE ARGENT- INE FOREIGN MINISTRY HAS DENIED IN A TELEGRAM TO THE ARGENTINE EMBASSY IN VENEZUELA THAT THE SOVIET UNION IS PROVIDING INTELLIGENCE MATERIAL THE HIGH LEVEL OF SOVIET PHOTOGRAPHIC COVERAGE OF THE AREA IS UNUSUAL ARGENTINE MILITARY 1 A GROUP OF FOUR ARGENTINE WARSHI PS WAS NOTED TO BE ABOUT MILES SOUTH EAST OF THEIR BASE PORT BELGRANO ON THE EVEN- ING OF 15 THEY WERE POSSIBLY INVOLVED IN GUNNERY FIRING AND EXERCISES WE BELIEVE ANOTHER GROUP OF SHIPS WHICH PROBABLY THE AIRCRAFT CARRIER IS AT SEA WE DO NOT KNOW ITS POSITION THERE IS NOW EVIDENCE THAT SHORT RANGE GROUND ID AIR fL O JSSILES HAVE BEEN SITED CLOSE TO PORT STANLEY 2 ARGENTINA WHICH IS A SUBSCRIBER TO THE LANDSAT PROJECT HAS MADE A REOUEST TO THE UNITED STATES FOR THE LANDSAT PHOTOGRAPHIC SATELLITE TO BE TASHED TO COVER THE FALKLAND ISLANDS ON 21--23 APRIL THE SATELLITE WAS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE NO OF MILITARY - ll I l' 1' WHITE HOUSE SITUATION ROOM PAGE O2 OF O2 JIC 1611 APR E2 VALUE AND IT PRODUCES VERY LOW RESOLUTION PHOTOGRAPHS naw METER THE COVERAGE WOULD BE LIMITED TD THE FALHLAND ISLANDS THEMSELVES AND A FEW MILES OF SURROUNDING SEA wE DOUST WHETHER ARGENTINA WOULD BE ABLE TD DERIVE ANY MILITARY INFORMATION OF VALUE FROM THIS SATELLITE ON THIS OCCASION BUT IP THE UNITED STATES GRANTS THIS REOUEST THE POLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE WOULD OUTWEIGH THE MILITARY ARGENTINE INTERNAL 3 THREE BRITISH JOURNALISTS HAVE BEEN ARRESTED IN ARGENTINA APPARENTLY ON CHARGES OF SPYING REPORTS INDICATE THAT TERRORIST ORGANISATIONS AND OTHER POLITICALLY MOTIVATED GROUPS FROM LATIN AMERICA MIGHT TAKE ACTION IN BRITAIN OR AGAINST BRITISH MI SSI ONS ABROAD THE STAFF OF THE BRITISH EMBASSY IN AAONTEVIDEO AT PARTICULAR RISK I NTERNATIONAL REACTI ONS i A THE ARGENTINE FOREIGN MINISTRY HAS PREPARED A DRAFT NOTE TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE OAS REDUESTING A SPECIAL MEETING TO HOLD CONSULTATIDNS ON ACTION UNDER THE RIO TREATY SUCH CONSULTATIONS IN THE OAS GDUERINING BOARD MAY PRECEDE A MEET- ING OF FOREIGN MINISTERS OF THE RID TREATY STATES ACTING AS THE RIO TREATY DRGAN OF CONSULTATION THE MINISTRY HAS NOT AS YET INSTRUCTED ITS REPRESENTATIVE TO PRESENT THE wE DD NOT CONSIDER THAT ARGENTINA IS LIKELY TO DO THIS WHILE MR HAIGS MISS- ION CONTINUES --