LATIN AMERICA REVIEW

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP79T00912A001000010012-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 21
• Document Creation Date: December 21, 2016
• Document Release Date: February 19, 2008
• Sequence Number: 12
• Publication Date: December 14, 1978
• Content Type: REPORT

Assessment
Center
Latin America
Review
14 December 1978
State Dept. review
completed
Secret
RP LAR 78-016
14 December 1978
C o p y 1 4 5
Approved For Release 2008/02/19: CIA-RDP79TOO912AO01000010012-5
Approved For Release 2008/02/19: CIA-RDP79T00912AO01000010012-5
 Approved For Release 2008/02/19: CIA-RDP79T00912AO01000010012-5
Approved For Release 2008/02/19: CIA-RDP79T00912AO01000010012-5
 Approved For Release 2008/02/19: CIA-RDP79T00912A001000010012-5
SECRET
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LATIN AMERICA REVIEW
14 December 1978
CONTENTS
Argentina-Chile: Latest Beagle Channel
Talks Fail
The Foreign Ministers' meeting this week
has apparently not resolved the differ-
ences between the two countries, which
have continued to make final military
preparations.
Ar entina-Chile: Back round on Beagle
Channel Dispute
The dispute over territorial claims in
the Beagle Channel area is typical of
many South American boundary problems
that stem from early, ambiguously worded
agreements and treaties formulated before
accurate maps were available.
The North-South policies of President
Perez are motivated more by ideology
and politics than by a calculation of
economic costs and benefits, but pur-
suit of the New International Economic
Venezuela and The North-South Dialogue
Order has been one primary goal.
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Guatemala: An Assessment of the Lucas
Administration
The scorecard for President Lucas' first
five months in office is mixed but gener-
ally negative, reflecting his lackluster
leadership image and failure to make much
progress omestic programs or foreign
affairs.
FOR THE RECORD . . . . . . . 16
ii
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Argentina-Chile: Latest Beagle Channel Talks Fail
Chilean Foreign Minister Cubillos and Argentine
Foreign Minister Pastor apparently made no progress this
week in their talks intended to avert a military action
in the Beagle Channel dispute. No joint communique was
issued the press that the talks failed. Cubillos report-
edly came to Buenos Aires with proposals that were un-
acceptable to Argentine President Videla and military
leaders.
Both sides have continued to make final military
preparations. Argentina has moved combat units from all.
four military corps to the Chilean border and has sent
its major naval ships to sea. Chile has placed its Army
and police units on full alert, has closed some border
crossings, and has ordered its combat ships to move south-
ward from the main port of Valparaiso, probably to the
Beagle Channel area.
A leading Argentine newspaper has stated that the
United States has asked the Organization of American
States to intervene in the dispute. The Argentine Gov-
ernment repeatedly has expressed its receptivity to di-
rect US involvement or mediation, but could easily in-
terpret an appeal to the OAS at this time as a legalistic
move that will benefit the Chileans, who have the jurid-
ical advantage in the dispute.
There is still a possibility that a military move
can be averted, but the fundamental dispute appears in-
tractable and not easily susceptible to outside mediation
since there is a basic clash of national interests. Chile
shows no willingness to renegotiate its maritime bound-
ary claims, which have the weight of international law
behind them. Argentina, on the other hand, believes that
factors affecting its national security and potential for
handled
i
ssue
economic growth are at stake and wants the
in a political, nonlegal, context.
14 December 1978
Approved For Release 2008/02/19: CIA-RDP79T00912A001000010012-5
 Approved For Release 2008/02/19: CIA-RDP79T00912AO01000010012-5
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' - .ti1AGELLAN
i it i rJ_ \ AREA OF MAIN MAP
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