§ 28. Mr. Kerrasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will make a statement concerning the armed eviction from Hope Bay by Argentine troops of a landing party from the survey vessel "John Biscoe"; and whether he will lodge a protest with the Argentine Government.
§ Mr. NuttingYes. On 1st February the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey vessel "John Biscoe" landed a civilian party with stores at Hope Bay in order to re-establish the British base there. An Argentine party already on shore forced them to re-embark. The Argentine Ministry of Foreign Affairs immediately informed Her Majesty's Embassy at Buenos Aires of the incident and explained that the Argentine commander had acted in error and that his instructions had been rectified.
On 4th February Her Majesty's Embassy at Buenos Aires, acting under instructions from my right hon. Friend, handed a Note of protest to the Argentine Minister for Foreign Affairs. The Governor of the Falkland Islands has since visited Hope Bay in Her Majesty's frigate "Burghead Bay" and the base has been re-established without further incident.