ARGENTINE MOVE MAY BE WARMUP FOR ANTARCTICA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00965R000100150107-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: August 29, 2012
• Sequence Number: 107
• Publication Date: April 12, 1982
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

STAT
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/29 :CIA-RDP90-009658000100150107-0
g.~TZC=~ =~~ R~
p~.PAGE
May Be Warmu
Argentine 1Vlove
. .
For Antorctica;;
Falkland Islands may be a warmup
for a .future assault ? on Antarctica. -
But. next time, UB.. toea~; may be
The Argentine inva9ion 'of the
sought to halt the British, research ,_ _izens on the disputed territory,:., , ~-: 'sequences for our..retations."?..:: ,
dicated that) an Argentine destroyer there to give birth to Argentine cif- ~ might have even more serious con-
tercepted naval communications [in--..riages and flying pregnant .women Antarctic research and logistics; or
proached the islands, "a series of in-. stered its claim by performing mar- cellent U.S.-Argentine cooperation m-:
that the conditions that led to this ou aepos~rs m tine area. '~- ;. Argentine junta has been stimulated I
month's Argentine aggression in the 'There have been similar tensions_.? no doubt by the discovery of rich oil
over the Antarctic. Relates the CIA:
South Atlantic apply even more ~ and mineral deposits on the icy con--
atrongly to Antarctica: (1) a reported "Overlapping claims of the United tinent.' _ .J.:
Kingdom, Argentina and .Chile at I
abundance of oil; (2) the desire. to Given the?same incentives that led I
divert the. public's attention from the Antarctic peninsula- [have] ~ the Falklands adventure, the Ar?'
domestic strife; (3) a longstanding ~ sparked much political heat and, at
? gentine generals may eventually de=~
legal claim; and (4) national pride. least once, even gunfire. . ~~ = - cide to occupy -the Antarctic penirnrl
The CIA papers givethis back- 'The United States, .which ex-
ground on the Falklands furor: An plored the frozen continent in the. sula, intelligence sources suggest.'
oil-thirsty Argentina hopes "to lay 1820x, has more right than the.other-; Any such move would have to over`==~
the basis for a claim to oil deposits claimants to the Antarctic. But in- Tan a permanent U.S. base staffed
.believed to exist near the Falklands" stead of claiming the land, the Unit- by scientists. "~ ~~: ; ;.
and at the same time to create "a ed States sought to mediate the dis- ~ T~ secret White House papers
useful diversion from domestic fur ~ .Puts and persuaded? the rivals to sign ,urge "a concerted diplomatic effort
moil? :-z:.'~ ,. ~?,." '" ; a 1959 treaty temporarily settmg?~ :~ ~ reach some agreement with Ar~.~
According to the CIA; a British aside their claims. - _gentine ....Such an effort could.,I
'1~ .,.w~...~-....
. research team, attracted by the scent Nevertheless, Argentina has con-. , Possibly head off .what otherwise =~
of oil, made a foray. into Falkland timed to assert sovereignty over. a might. become a- divisive T[issue]
waters in 1976. As "the British ap- portion ofrAntarctica and has bol- which~would adversely affect the ex:-~
tramped on..
THE WASHINGTON POST
12 April 1982
vessel Shackleton near the. islands- - Secret White House documenta~
and threatened to fire into .its .hull also point out that.:"Argentina geo-
when the Shackleton refused to com- . graphically dominates the ocean
ply.? : ;..: .. ~. routes between -the South Atlantic
This incident on the high seas was -and Pacific Ooeana : ~.::. Were the,,
a prelude to today's British-Argen- Panama Canal not operable or avai_1-
tine showdown over the Falklands. able; or in the event of a protra
Explains the CIA: Argentina has "re- war, this route would' have a high'
fused to recognise British sovereign- : strategic importance .... " ~ - -
ty over .the Falklands, and the cen- ~ My associate Dale Van Atta, who
fury-old dispute has been made - ?: recently visited Antarctica, ? found
worse by Argentine: suspicions thatthat Argentina has been forceful in
"
l
[the British have been exploring for]
' n~~atno -tA tprritnrial claims. The
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/08/29 :CIA-RDP90-009658000100150107-0