DISPUTE BETWEEN ARGENTINA AND PARAGUAY OVER RIPARIAN RIGHTS TO PILCOMAYO RIVER

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP08C01297R000800100001-4
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: U
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: October 16, 2012
• Sequence Number: 1
• Publication Date: December 11, 1980
• Content Type: CABLE

OR IGINI/ACIOIN I I A7.:. 7 / .C72 /'/7i.-)
Declassified and Approved For Release 2012/10/16: CIA-RDP08001297R000800100001-4
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HANDLING INDICA TOR
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INFO -: ASUNCION, LA PAZ
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FROM: AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
RVIt.0 12065:. N/A ' DATE.December 11, 1980
TAGS : PBOR, AR,..PA
SUBJECT: 121.uute Between Argentina and Paraguay Over
Eiparian tl?? to_.P."6-17"ner -.....
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Buenos Aires 9492 InA
SUMMARY. Argentina and Paraguay, together with Bolivia,
signed an agreement in 1974 to study joint utilization of
the Pilcomayo /River Basin. However, Paraguay claims that an
Argentine canal project is diverting part of the river into
Argentine territory and at a recent conference of the
Foreign Ministers of the River Plate Basin, the Paraguayan c*
delegate protested alleged unilateral exploitation of the c_
Pilcomayo River by Argentina. Argentine Foreign Minister rt.
Pastor said that there is no problem with Paraguay regarding tyl
the Pilcomayo, and his Paraguayan counterpart indicated that
the issue is being resolved. Differing views with respect
to the alleged diversion channel remain, but it appears that 3C
both governments intend to prevent the dispute from
affecting their generally good bilateral relations. END
SUMMARY.
The Pilcomayo River forms most of the border between
Argentina and Paraguay and a smaller area delineates part
of Argentina's border with Bolivia. Along the Argentine-
Paraguayan segment, the river's course is slow, constantly
changing and diviJes into numerous branches. Paraguay,
Argentina, Bolivia, the OAS, the IDB and the UNDP signed
an agreement in 1974 to carry out a study of the Pilcomayo
River Basin that envisaged joint utilization of water
resources, sediment control, irrigation and drainage pro-
jects, quality maintenance of underground water, erosion
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control, ecology protection and so on. Implementation of
the study was entrusted to the OAS and in 1977 a report
was released which indicated riverine projects regarded by
the three countries as being of national interest.
Included among those proposed by Argentina was the "Riacho
El Porterio? project. It involved splitting up the waters
of the Pilcomayo and channeling one of the Pilcomayo's
branches to improve irrigation.
In March, 1979 at a meeting of representatives of the
Pilcomayo River Basin countries, the Argentine delegation
announced that the Argentine Province of Formosa (of which
the Pilcomayo River is the northern boundary) had completed
plans and called for bids on the El Porteno project.
Paraguay objected!. and on May 30, 1979 the Paraguayan
Foreign Ministry presented a note to the Argentine Embassy
in Asuncion expressing "its firm opposition to any project
which would in any way cause the diversion of the main
course of the Pilcomayo River and which may involve sub-
stantial loss of its (Paraguay's) interests."
On several subsequent occasions, the Paraguayan Government
reiterated its concern regarding the El Porteno project,
and on January 9, 1980 Paraguay protested to Argentina
over the existence of an artificial diversion channel. It
".demanded that the mouth Of the diversion channel be
closed to return things to their previous state."
During late October and early November, news articles
appeared in Paraguay, and reflect(2d in the Argentine press,
regarding increasing concern between the two countries
over the Pilcomayo. In a press interview on October 30,
Paraguayan Foreign Minister Alberto Nogues claimed that
the Argentine provincial authorities had built canals
without prior consultation with Paraguay, to divert some
of the waters of the Pilcomayo. Paraguay is concerned that
the public works by Formosa Province will create new
permanent water courses within Argentine territory,
reducing the availability of irrigation water to Paraguay
during the dry season.
To clear the air, the Argentine Government issued: a
communique on November 8 explaining that the Argentine-
Paraguayan Joint Commission charged with administration
and control of the Pilcomayo detected natural drainage
channels out of the Pilcomayo at three points along its
course, two of which were in Argentine territory. It
said the two governments hadagreed to take measures
damming up the channels to restore the river to its normal
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course. Argentina also announced that Argentine
national authdrities and personnel from the provincial
government of Formosa were cooperating with Paraguayans
to dam up the drainage. According to the Argentine
Government, the work is practically finished.
In reply, the Paraguayan Government issued a communique
on November 10 which outlined the history of Argentine-
Paraguayan differences. over the Pilcomayo and repeated
its claim that there had been created an artificial di-
version channel. However, the Paraguayan communique
acknowledged that the two governments had agreed to
implement joint measures to dam it up.
At the Eleventh Meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the
River Plate Basin, the Paraguayan delegate said that his
country rejects Argentina's proposal to divert the water
of the Pilcomayo and protested Argentina's alleged uni-
lateral action. Argentina's Pastor told the press that
there is no problem with Paraguay over the Pilcomayo and
blamed rumor-mongers for alleging trouble where it does
not exist. Paraguay's Foreign Minister, while declining
to acknowledge,that no problem exists, asserted that
"the irregular situation" of the Pilcomayo River is being
resolved "as far as possible." He said that "Argentine
officials have given instructions to return things to
their former state."
COMMENT: This issue in Argentine-Paraguayan relations
continues to bubble along, but both governments appear
determined not to let it disturb normal good relations
between them.
SHLAUDEMAN
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