Beagle conflict

Map of Picton, Lennox and Nueva

The Beagle Conflict (Spanish: Conflicto del Beagle) was a border dispute between Argentina and Chile over the possession of the Picton, Lennox and Nueva islands and sea located south of Tierra del Fuego which took both countries to the brink of war in 1978. The Beagle conflict is seen as the main reason for Chilean support to the United Kingdom during the Falklands War of 1982. The dispute ended in the Peace and Friendship Treaty of 1984.

Background

With a strategic location south of the Beagle Channel and with a congruent maritime extension of 30,000 square miles, including fishing and mineral (presumably oil) rights, and possible Antarctic Peninsula territorial claims, the zone had been in contention since the early 19th Century when both Argentina and Chile declared independence from Spain. Although the first agreement to limit weapons acquisitions dated from 1902, the two sides still had in 1984 nearly 50 boundary disputes along their common border of 5,308 kilometres, consequently making relations between them very cold.

Escalation

Often negotiated, the Beagle Channel issue went finally to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 1971 and to arbitration by Britain's Queen Elizabeth II. On May 2, 1977 the queen ruled that the islands and all adjacent formations belonged to Chile. Argentina disputed the decision and sought bilateral negotiations. In July each side protested territorial buoys placed by the other. Without an official border delimitation, both countries repeatedly violated air and maritime spaces. Bilateral negotiations failed. On 25 January 1978 Argentina declared the award fundamentally null and soon relations became extremely tense. Two bilateral commissions, seeking a solution, accomplished little. Chile asked for ICJ mediation; Argentina sought continued negotiation.

The two countries positions around the three islands can be seen on this map

Both countries, at the time governed by military dictatorships, made important military deployments moving to the brink of open warfare. On December 9 1978, Argentina sent a naval squadron to the Beagle Channel region, while Chile followed suit.

In what has become known as the last minute call before invasion, Venezuelan President Carlos Andrés Pérez called President of the United States Jimmy Carter and Carter called Pope John Paul II.

On December 11, Pope John Paul II sent a personal message to both presidents urging a peaceful solution, but keeping up the original arbitration of the United Kingdom. War preparations continued as did diplomatic efforts to avert hostilities. Argentina complained to the United Nations; Chile asked the Organization of American States to convene. On December 21, Chile accepted the Pope's mediation. Argentina did so the next day. They would allow the Pope to mediate the dispute through the good offices of Cardinal Antonio Samoré, his special envoy.

On January 9, 1979 the Act of Montevideo was signed in Uruguay pledging both sides to a peaceful solution and a return to the military situation of early 1977.

Solution

Treaty gives the islands to Chile but most maritime rights to Argentina. Map showing chilean original position

In 1982, Argentina went to war against the United Kingdom in the Falklands/Malvinas War and again both countries made great military deployments to their common border.

No significant reduction in tensions between Argentina and Chile occurred until the democratic government of Raúl Alfonsín took office in Argentina in December 1983.

Still isolated diplomatically due to the Falklands crisis, the Alfonsin administration made great efforts to stabilize the border situation. Finally, on January 23, 1984 Argentina and Chile signed the Treaty of Peace and Friendship (Spanish:Tratado de Paz y Amistad) at Vatican City giving the islands to Chile but most maritime rights to Argentina.

The Treaty also includes the limitation of the Strait of Magellan.

Alfonsin called for a national plebiscite and after 80 per cent of the Argentine electorate voted to accept the Vatican-mediated compromise, a protocol of agreement to a treaty was signed on October 18, 1984.

The Treaty was ratified by Argentina on March 14, 1985 and by Chile on April 12.

Aftermath

See also Argentina-Chile relations

In spite of having a common history when they fought together for their independence and the other neighbouring countries (please check José de San Martín and Bernardo O'Higgins for further reading), Argentina and Chile suffered very difficult moments in their relations during the twentieth century but never a war.

On the 1990s, under the presidency of Carlos Menem in Argentina and Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle in Chile, they resolved almost all of their disputes, like Laguna del Desierto and both countries begun a strong integration in economic and military aspects.

Cultural impact

The mountain pass of Puyehue was renamed Cardenal Antonio Samoré Pass after Antonio Samoré one of the mediators from the Vatican state in the conflict.

In 2005 the Chilean movie Mi Mejor Enemigo (English: My best enemy. [The title is a play on words, since the Spanish word for friend is amigo.]) was released. The film recreates the story of a simple recruit in late 1978 when both countries were on the brink of war.

See also

• Argentina-Chile relations
• Falklands War
• Foreign relations of Argentina
• Foreign relations of Chile
• Military of Argentina
• Military of Chile

References

• Cascon Case CAR: Chile-Argentina (Beagle Channel) 1977-85
• UN Legislation
• Chile-Argentina Relations Spanish
• 1978 Military Crisis Spanish
• 1999 Joint Presidential Declaration US Gov Site

External links

• Spanish copy of the treaty
• English copy of the treaty
• View of the islands at Google Maps