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The Falkland Islands: Visit Of Dr Martinez De Hoz

Volume 415: debated on Monday 15 December 1980

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asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they invited Dr. Martinez de Hoz to visit the United Kingdom at the beginning of June 1980, and whether he then met the Prime Minister, the Foreign Secretary, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Minister of Agriculture and the Secretary of State for Trade or any of them; and in which of those discussions, if any, Ministers took soundings of Dr. de Hoz on the political options for the future of the Falkland Islands including the transfer of sovereignty to Argentina with an arrangement for simultaneous lease back to Britain.

The Argentine Minister of the Economy, Dr. Martinez de Hoz, visited the United Kingdom privately in June, as part of a tour of European countries. At his own request he called on the Prime Minister, the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Secretary of State for Trade, the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, and the Ministers of State for Trade, Industry, Energy and Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. Discussions focused largely on economic affairs but covered a range of matters of mutual interest. The Falkland Islands dispute was naturally discussed during his calls at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. There was, however, no question of our taking soundings on political options.