THE CIA secretly wanted Britain to hand the Falkland Islands over to Argentina following its 1982 invasion, former top secret documents reveal.

The Sun Online can reveal American spy chiefs also wanted to force all Brits living there to relocate to SCOTLAND - or stay and become Argentinian citizens.

11 British troops watch a building go up in flames in Port Stanley during the 1982 Falklands War Credit: Getty Images

11 Troops pose for a photo next to the British flag Credit: Rex Features

11 British troops arrive on the islands at the outbreak of war in April Credit: Getty Images

11 British troops garrisoned on the islands are captured by invading Argentinian forces Credit: Getty Images

11 A member of the Royal Marines stands over Argentinian soldiers captured at the Battle of Goose Green Credit: PA:Press Association

The remarkable memo - titled "Solution to the Falkland Islands crisis" - was written by Chairman of the National Intelligence Council Henry Rowen and addressed to Paul Wolfowitz, a Department of State advisor to Ronald Reagan.

The briefing is buried within a trove of 12 million documents published by the CIA on its website yesterday that include details of experiments on Uri Geller and mind control.

Rowen writes: "For a period of three years the inhabitants of the Falkland Islands will be given a chance to consider whether they wish to remain on the Falkland Islands or whether they wish to relocate to an area of British jurisdiction, either in the UK or elsewhere under British sovereignty, with a relocation grant of $100,000 per person."

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He adds it is "likely that many residents will find this sufficient inducement to relocate to some other area, perhaps in Scotland or elsewhere where conditions may be similar to the Falkland Islands".

"Any residents who do not wish to relocate will be free to remain and become Argentinian citizens at the end of three years.

"The cost of the relocation grants to be paid to any residents of the Falkland Islands wishing to relocate elsewhere will be borne fifty/fifty by the Argentinian and British governments."

He added that the total cost of such relocations would not exceed half that which Britain had spent dispatching troops to the region following the Argentinian invasion.

It goes on to say Argentina should pay penalties to Britain for damage caused in the invasion and also pay compensation for property reclaimed under the new sovereignty agreement.

This compensation would be decided by a panel bizarrely chaired by representatives of "Malta, Austria and Finland", or "Malta, Switzerland and Austria".

11 The memo was written by Henry Rowen, the Chairman of the National Intelligence Council Credit: Standford university

11 It was addressed to neocon Paul Wolfowitz, who at the time worked for the State Department

The CIA website states the memo was published on January 1 - though this appears to be an estimate given the original paperwork is dateless.

Rowen also reference the Argentinian invasion, meaning it must have been written some time after the outbreak of war on April 2.

In recent years limited releases of previously classified material have shined new light on the US's role in the Falklands War.

Reagan's administration officially took a neutral stance towards the war as it was concerned it could park anti-US resentment across South America.

Early on in the conflict, the CIA also believed Britain had underestimated Argentinian forces on the islands - but maintained its stance a British victory was "likely".

Although today relations between Britain and Argentina remain frosty, last month it emerged a deal had been struck to identify more than 100 Argentine soldiers buried on the island.

And last year declassified Foreign Office files revealed Israel had sold weapons to Argentina at the height of the crisis.

The Falklands War 'solution' memo

11 Credit: CIA gov

11 Credit: CIA gov

11 Credit: CIA gov

11 Credit: CIA gov

WHAT WAS THE WAR FOUGHT OVER? Relations between Britain and Argentina still remain strained today following the war in 1982. Argentina says it has a right to the islands because it inherited them from the Spanish crown in the early 1800s. It has also based its claim on the islands’ proximity to the South American mainland. Britain says it has the right to the land based on its long-term administration of the Falklands and on the principle of self-determination for the islanders, who are almost all of British descent. In a referendum on the islands in 2013 just three residents out of 1,517 were against remaining British. Some 255 British service personnel died in the successful defence of the islands following an attack and occupation by Argentina, which calls the Falklands Las Malvinas. The 1982 conflict left 649 Argentinian soldiers dead. The conflict was sparked after Argentina seized the islands and Britain sent a task force to retake them. Tensions between Britain and Argentina over the Falklands flared up under former Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner but have calmed under her successor Mauricio Macri.



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