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Still, Reagan did not seek an end to a U.S. arms embargo imposed by Congress in 1978 in response to Argentina's poor human rights record. The Administration had been considering a resumption of arms shipments to Argentina before its soldiers occupied the Falklands on April 2. Now, though, Washington believes that an early resumption of military aid to the enemy of a major U.S. ally like Britain would be unseemly. U.S. officials also fear that weapons shipments to Argentina could destabilize the southern portion of Latin America, where Argentina is embroiled in a longstanding territorial dispute with Chile, another country under a U.S. arms embargo. Argentina hopes the U.S. will pressure Britain to negotiate the question of Falklands sovereignty. But the U.S. is standing pat, unwilling to ask Margaret Thatcher to make a politically difficult concession.
Unlike the U.S., which has a great stake in maintaining neighborly relations with Latin American nations, Britain is keeping economic sanctions against Argentina. The Royal Navy plans to continue denying Argentine ships and aircraft access to a 200-mile zone around the Falklands. The exclusionary zone may be maintained at least until the end of August, when British military engineers expect to complete expansion of the runway at Port Stanley for use by a squadron of Phantom jet fighters and Nimrod reconnaissance planes. Britain intends to establish a permanent garrison of some 2,500 troops in the Falklands, as well as a naval force that will include two submarines and three frigates. As a Thatcher aide put it, "We shall be keeping our guard up for some considerable time to come."