United Nations: New Signals

The U.S. votes against an ally

It was a sudden, and somewhat embarrassing, reversal of roles. Only six months ago, the U.S. had earned the ire of much of Latin America by siding with Britain in the Falkland Island's war. Last week it was Britain's turn to feel outrage as Washington backed Argentina in the Latest diplomatic skirmish over the remote South Atlantic dependencies. With the entire Soviet bloc and such radical states as Viet Nam, Cuba and Libya, the U.S. voted in the United Nations General Assembly for a nonbinding resolution that urged Britain to return to the negotiating table on the Falklands issue. The final tally: 90 in favor, twelve against and 52 abstentions, including most of Britain's Western European allies.

In justifying the switch in signals, Deputy U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Kenneth Adelman said that "disputes should be settled by discussion and never by force." Washington's purpose in backing the Argentine-sponsored resolution was actually far more pragmatic: to regain some of the good will that the U.S. lost in Latin America by taking Britain's side in the conflict. U.S. diplomats pointed out that they had lobbied successfully to water down the resolution before voting for it. Among other things, the U.S. persuaded Argentina to drop a reference to the Falklands as a colony. In addition, State Department officials helped to insert a phrase to imply a formal end to the South Atlantic hostilities, something Buenos Aires has never admitted.

Such minor compromises did not satisfy Britain, which lobbied vigorously against the resolution. The chief British complaint: the measure did not mention that the principle of self-determination would have to be respected for the 1,800 Falkland Islanders, a point that London considers "paramount" in settling the dispute. Said Britain's Ambassador to the U.N. Sir John Thomson: "Britain can look after herself, but she has an obligation to look after the Falkland Islanders as well." Prior to the vote, British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher sent messages to President Reagan, indicating in no uncertain terms that she considered the U.S. stand a betrayal of Britain. Later, she termed the U.S. position "incomprehensible and disappointing."

The British Foreign Office called in Ambassador John Louis to decry the U.S. decision as "hypocritical and offensive," and Foreign Minister Francis Pym denounced the vote as "an Argentine-inspired charade." In fact, the resolution will have no effect on British behavior. After spending $2.7 billion on the Falklands war and losing six ships, ten aircraft and 255 lives in the process, Britain does not intend to bargain with Argentina over the islands any time soon.