Infamous Argentine officer who nearly broke off diplomatic relations between Britain and France.

Lieutenant Alfredo Astiz was convicted of crimes against humanity in 2011. Photo: RAFAEL WOLMANN/GAMMA-RAFO

The capture of a notorious Argentine officer during the Falklands War sparked a behind-the-scenes diplomatic row between London and Paris, Foreign Office documents show.

Lieutenant Alfredo Astiz, naval officer intelligence agency, actively involved in the kidnappings and murders of political dissidents during the war and a participant in the so-called «Dirty War» of the 1970s, was captured on April 25, 1982 by British forces after they recaptured the island of South Georgia.

< p>The French government has submitted a formal request to extradite Astiz to France for questioning regarding his alleged involvement in the notorious case of two French nuns, Alice Domont and Leonie Duquet, who were kidnapped by the Argentine Navy in Buenos Aires in December 1977 and that you've never heard of. once again.

After seeking legal advice from the Attorney General, Sir Michael Havers, the British government rejected France's request on the grounds that handing over the prisoner of war to a third party would be a violation of the Geneva Convention.

The Foreign Office told Number 10 on 20 May 1982: «The Attorney General has confirmed that there is no question of extraditing Astiz to France.»

The decision infuriated French officials. , who have hinted that if they are not allowed to question Astiz in connection with the disappearance of their citizens, they may stop cooperating with London to stop Argentina's attempts to acquire new Exocet missiles.

The five French-made anti-ship missiles used to sink the Royal Navy destroyer HMS Sheffield on 4 May were delivered to Argentina before the outbreak of the Falklands War, when France imposed an embargo on further arms shipments to Argentina.

'French refusal is awkward'

General Leopoldo Galtieri's junta tried to circumvent the embargo by purchasing more missiles through Peru, an ally of Argentina. However, after a personal request from Margaret Thatcher, François Mitterrand, then President of France, agreed to delay delivery of the Exocets ordered by Peru until hostilities in the Falkland Islands had ended.

Foreign Office documents show that Francis Gutmann, secretary general of the French Foreign Ministry, warned the British that if they were denied access to Astiz, their further cooperation could not be guaranteed.

In letter No. 10 of June 3, the Foreign Office said: “The Ambassador noted with alarm that Mr. Gutmann was close to establishing a direct and explicit connection between the kind of assistance we seek from the French on such matters as the supply of arms to Argentina from third parties and the cooperation they seek from us in Astiz.»

The letter continued: «France's refusal to take no for an answer is embarrassing. Their latest response is a rather crude attempt to put pressure on us and baseless accusations that we were slow and did not take their request seriously.”

As well as their determination to strictly adhere to the Geneva Convention, British ministers were also concerned about the safety of Flight Lieutenant Geoffrey Glover, the RAF Harrier pilot who was captured by the Argentines on 21 May after being shot down near Port Howard in West Falkland. if they had handed Astiz over to the French authorities.

Francis Pym, the then Foreign Secretary, wrote to John Nott, the Defense Secretary, on 3 June 1982: “We must bear in mind, especially at a time when the Argentine junta may increasingly see defeat staring them in the face, that the continued detention Astiz's guards could incentivize or be used as justification for revenge against British prisoners of war and other British subjects. «I am very aware of the ongoing detention of our Harrier pilot, Flt Lieutenant Glover.»

Astiz was taken back to Britain by ship, arriving on 5 June, and held under armed guard by the Royal Military Police at Roussillon Barracks in Chichester.

To reassure the French. The British government arranged for Astiz to be interviewed by the Sussex Police Chief Inspector, who asked him questions provided by French authorities about the two nuns.

Astiz refused to answer any questions and was repatriated a few days later.

The French government eventually delivered Exocet missiles to Peru in July 1982, a month after the surrender of Argentine forces . to the British in the Falkland Islands.

Astiz, meanwhile, was convicted by an Argentine court of crimes against humanity in 2011 and is currently serving a life sentence.