EC sanctions for Britain dangling

May 18, 1982

Britain's hopes of getting early support from its European partners for extending sanctions against Argentina were dashed Monday when Italy, Ireland, and Denmark all raised concerns about renewing the sanctions. As a result, no decision at this writing had been taken on whether to renew or withdraw sanctions at the meeting of European Community foreign ministers here. Britain had hoped support would be forthcoming as early as May 16.

In other Falklands-related developments:

* Britain's ambassador to the United Nations, Sir Anthony Parsons, returned to New York for a meeting with UN Secretary-General Perez Javier de Cuellar before reporting back to Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in London.

* Argentine Interior Minister Alfredo Saint Jean indicated the military junta which seized power in 1976 and which precipitated the current crisis by invading the Falklands April 2 might give way to democratic government after the conflict was settled.

* A lull in the fighting on the Falklands followed several days of armed action.

* Argentina's economy minister, Roberto Alemann, announced his country would not seek to reschedule its foreign debts.