800.014 Antarctic/12–1846: Telegram
The Ambassador in Chile (Bowers) to the Secretary of State
[Received 4:03 p.m.]
1098. Monday12 afternoon at interview requested by Foreign Minister,13 he handed me a confidential memorandum on Antarctic [Page 1499] question which is being forwarded to Dept by despatch.14 Summary of memo is as follows:
Chilean Government decree 1747 of November 6, 1940, established boundaries of Chilean Antarctic territory. In view of Argentine observations in this regard, representatives of Chile and Argentina met in Santiago March, 1941, to discuss common boundary of their Antarctic territories. No definitive agreement was reached during these conversations, and it was decided that conversations would continue at a later date in Buenos Aires. Owing to war and political conditions in Argentina, it was not possible to renew them. Almost six years have elapsed without conversations taking place. After removal of aforementioned obstacles, Argentina has now expressed desire to continue negotiations and Chilean Government is agreeable to this suggestion. It is hoped that conversations will be renewed in near future in Buenos Aires. In 1943, Argentine vessel Primero de Mayo visited Antarctic region and three Chilean Naval officers participated in this expedition at request of Argentine Government. As a matter of reciprocity Chile offered to invite three Argentine officers to participate in next Chilean expedition to Polar region. Owing to necessity of utilizing all its naval vessels to patrol extensive coasts during war, it has not been possible to send a Chilean Antarctic expedition up to present. Chile has now, however, decided to send a frigate to Polar region next February, and in conformance with agreement with Argentina, has invited 3 Argentine Naval officers to participate in expedition.