British officials wanted to sell arms to Argentina before invasion The files show that the sale of a carrier to replace the Argentinian navy's ageing flagship Vienticinco de Mayo, herself a former Royal Navy carrier, was being actively discussed six months before the invasion on April 2 1982. In October 1981 Robin Fearn of the Foreign Office South America Department wrote to David Jones of the defence sales branch of the Ministry of Defence. "We certainly want to be as helpful as we can on building up business with the Argentinian navy," wrote Fearn. But, as we are both aware, there are inevitable constraints on our ability to sell naval equipment to Argentina, relating principally to the Falkland Islands dispute. Ministers have made it clear that we could sell no defence equipment to Argentina which could be used for aggression against the Falkland Islands. Sales of landing ships and landing craft might not be advisable but that did not exclude the possibility of selling training ships, minesweepers and even fleet tankers to replenish warships at sea. "We try to interpret this guideline as flexibly and as advantageously to sales prospects as possible," added Fearn. Flexibly indeed, even to the extent of equipping a potential enemy with the means to dominate the waters around an isolated British colony. "I remain of the view that we should leave discussion of the carrier and the Harriers to one side for the time being," remarkedFearn. Until it becomes clearer where were going in this dispute.