Western Hemisphere 189
their claims. On February 20, 1978, Chile and Argentina created a joint commission
under the Act of Puerto Montt to solve the dispute, but several rounds of negotiations
yielded nothing. Chile withdrew from the negotiations, and both countries returned
to military exercises to demonstrate their resolve over the claims. On December 22,
the pope sent personal representatives to each capital to mediate, and Argentina and
Chile called off their militaries. On January 8, 1979, the presidents met in Montevideo
where, in the presence of a papal representative, they signed a nonaggression pact.
Coding changes: End Date changed from January 9, 1979.
MID#2083
Dispute Number: 2083
Date(s): September 7, 1980 to February 19, 1982
Participants: 155 Chile/160 Argentina
Outcome (and Settlement): Unclear (Negotiated)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: On September 7, 1980, a Chilean gunboat entered into what Argentina
considered its territorial waters assisted by a helicopter and harassed the crew of a
recently installed oil-drilling platform that was operating in the neutral zone of the
Magellan Strait. Later in the month, an Argentine naval ship seized a Chilean fishing
vessel off the coast of the Falkland Islands. After a round of negotiations to resolve
the disputes had failed at the end of September, Argentine forces conducted a major
military exercise in October, using over 5,000 men and at times coming within 20
miles of the Chilean coast. On February 9, 1981, a Chilean navy missile launcher
entered unannounced into what is generally viewed as Argentine territory east of the
Magellan Strait.
On April 25, 1981, Chile arrested two Argentine officers on suspicion of actions
“against national security.” They were released in June 1981. Then, on September
21, an Argentine naval cruiser entered disputed waters south of the islands Deceit
and Herschel and southwest of the disputed Picton, Lennox, and Nueva islands. The
Chilean government formally protested the incident on September 22, saying that it
was a violation of the Montevideo agreement. Argentina denied a violation of any
agreement. On October 6, two Argentine border guards were detained, allegedly on
the Chilean side of the border. The guards were released three days later.
On February 19, 1982, an Argentine naval patrol boat anchored off the coast
of the Island Deceit, and was ordered to leave by a Chilean torpedo boat. Four
days later a Buenos Aires news source reported that the Chilean boat had fired
warning shots toward the Argentine patrol boat. Chile denied the warning shots
incident but did accuse two Argentine fighter jets that flew low over the Chilean
ships in an act of provocation. This was the last event for some time, and both
governments then reiterated their confidence in the papal mediation effort, these
incidents notwithstanding.
Coding changes: End Date changed from February 9, 1981. Outcome changed from
Unclear. Settlement changed from None.