Chile and Argentina reaffirm Chilean sovereignty over the Strait of Magellan
Chilean President José Antonio Kast and Argentine President Javier Milei met at the La Moneda presidential palace in Santiago on September 4 and issued a joint statement reaffirming Chile’s sovereignty over the entire Strait of Magellan. Anadolu Agency reports.
Cause of diplomatic tensions
The meeting was intended to resolve a diplomatic dispute that arose after a statement by Argentine Air Force Chief of Staff Brigadier General Gustavo Valverde. He asserted Argentina’s sovereign rights to the Strait of Magellan.
Chile’s Foreign Ministry sent a formal note of protest, stressing that Chile’s jurisdiction over the strait is based on the 1881 Boundary Treaty and the 1984 Treaty of Peace and Friendship. Milei and the head of the Argentine Navy subsequently recognized Chile’s jurisdiction over the territory.
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Reference to existing treaties
In the declaration, the presidents said that the legal regime of the Strait of Magellan is defined by the 1881 and 1984 treaties, which remain fully in force and are final for both states. The document also states that these agreements establish the sovereignty of the Republic of Chile over the entire strait.
For his part, Kast reaffirmed Chile’s longstanding diplomatic support for Argentina’s territorial claims in the South Atlantic. Santiago reaffirmed its support for Argentina’s legitimate sovereign rights to the Falkland, or Malvinas, Islands, South Georgia, the South Sandwich Islands, and adjacent maritime areas, which are administered by the United Kingdom.
