Papal Mediation in The Beagle Conflict - The Final Phase

The Final Phase

After the war, yet despite the renewal of the 1972 Treaty on 15 September 1982, the distension after ARA-Gurruchaga incident and the spy-exchanging, the mediation continued to move very slowly. Following the war Chile evinced a greater willingness to negotiate modifications to the papal proposal, but by then it had become clear that the Argentine junta, reeling from its defeat in the war, was too weak to achieve an agreement.

Cardinal Antonio Samoré died in Rome at age 77 in February 1983.

President Raúl Alfonsín's new government was firmly committed to resolve the conflict as quickly as possible. Based on this commitment and additional discussions, the parties were able to lay much of the groundwork for a settlement.

In April 1984, Vatican Secretary of State Agostino Casaroli asked separately the two delegations for their proposals for a final solution.

By October 1984, both countries reached a complete understanding, and the revised text of the treaty was finalized on October 18.

Chile accepted, again, the papal proposal. In Argentina, Alfonsin held a consultative referendum. The official returns showed 10,391,019 voted in favor of the proposed treaty while 2,105,663 opposed it. A margin of 82 percent to 16 percent opposed, with 2 percent casting blank or null ballots.

The Treaty of Peace and Friendship of 1984 between Chile and Argentina went a long way before enacted:

• on 30 December 1984 the treaty passed the Argentine Chamber of Deputies,
• on 15 March 1985 the treaty passed the Argentine Senate,
• on 16 March 1985 was signed by representant of the President of Argentina, who was abroad,
• on 11 April 1985 the treaty passed the Chilean junta,
• on 12 April 1985 was signed by Augusto Pinochet,
• on 2 May 1985 both ministers exchanged instruments