Foreign Relations of the United States, 1948, General; the United Nations, Volume I, Part 2

800.014 Antarctic/10–848: Telegram

The Ambassador in Chile (Bowers) to the Secretary of State

confidential

Santiago, October 8, 1948—5 p. m.

667. Foreign Office note rejects US Antarctic proposal as unacceptable on basis Chilean supreme decree November 6, 1940¹ and Article 4 inter-American Treaty Reciprocal Assistance, signed Rio September 3, 1947. Cites Spitsbergen as example failure condominium’ pointing out its relationship to Norway (to which Spitsbergen finally ceded) same as that of South American Antarctic to Chile.

Chile suggests agreement whereby interested nations will exchange scientific data and believes first step in avoiding international friction would be issuance declaration that establishment bases expeditions, etc., in area south of parallel 6th, would not constitute basis strengthen future claims. Agreement to last five or more years would provide opportunity give careful study to final solution and embody advantages of US proposal without its disadvantages.

In handing me Chilean note, Riesco² said Chileans are positive as to their claims which no Chilean government abandon without serious collision with public opinion. At same time said Chile not eager push matter as is Argentina, and believes Chile’s plan leaving settlement until after world crises is over is, in best interest all concerned. He again said Chile not at all interested in Argentina’s claim to Falkland Islands.

Airmailing note.³

Bowers

1. The decree, which set forth Chilean Antarctic claims, is quoted in Foreign Relations, 1940, vol. ii, p. 336, footnote 7.
2. German Riesco, Chilean Foreign Minister from July 1948.
3. The Chilean Foreign Ministry Note Verbale, dated October 7, 1948, was transmitted to the Department of State as an enclosure to despatch 652, October 11, from Santiago, not printed (800.014 Antaretic/10–1148). The Chilean communication was outlined in a Chilean Foreign Ministry statement carried in major Santiago newspapers on October 29; a copy of the statement was transmitted to the Department as an enclosure to despatch 689, October 29, from Santiago, not printed (800.014 Antarctic/10–2948).