The diffident British stance

Factual Questions
1

In reply to Haig’s report that Thatcher has decided to use force to expel the Argentinians on the Falklands, President Reagan mentioned that:

It’s my guess from the diffident British stance that any compromise on Thatcher’s part will take time. If that’s true the closure of the British submarines is all the more worrisome. (Foreign Relations of the United States, 1981–1988, Volume XIII, Conflict in the South Atlantic, 1981–1984 - Office of the Historian)

What does the diffident British stance mean? I don’t understand why Reagan used “diffident” to describe the British stance?
Thank you in advance.

2

In context, it sounds like the British reaction about the terms of the compromise referred “diffident” as in hesitant or reserved, not as in shy.

3

“Diffident” means lacking in trust or faith; full of doubt. In the context, my first guess would be that Thatcher did not trust assurances, promises or statements of intent offered by or on behalf of the Argentinian government, and this was making a negotiated settlement more difficult, and recourse to force more likely.

4

BTW, @cannonkuo, when you use an exact quote from someone from a cite, as you appear to have done with a quote by Reagan in your original post, it’s a good idea to put the other person’s quotation in quotation marks. Doing so makes it clear to anyone who reads your post that the phrase is an exact quote, not just your own words.

5

Thank you for your advice. I’ll keep that in mind.

6

Thank you, Kent_Clark.

7

Thank you, UDS1.

8

A bit more textual context might clarify, too. How does one “close submarines”, or is that some shorthand reference to some detail in Haig’s report?

9

I think the phrase “closure of the British submarines” might be in sense of approaching the Falklands (closing in on) rather than shutting down.

10

Yes, that fits. So in the rather oblique way the quote puts it, Reagan was saying the signs were that the British weren’t in a mood for compromise, or at least not for whatever Haig might have proposed. Which was pretty much the case.

11

Thank you all.

12

I’ve heard people use “diffident” when they meant “defiant.” Reagan could have done that here. No way to know, of course.