LA DIPLOMACIA MULTILATERAL DE ESTADOS UNIDOS DURANTE EL CONFLICTO DEL BEAGLE.

Using new US documentation, this article investigates Washington's policy towards the Beagle conflict between Chile and Argentina. We postulated that, due to its reluctance to get directly involved in the controversy, the Carter administration sought to develop a multilateral diplomacy, which included many nations - especially from America and Europe-, in order to encourage Chile and Argentina to resolve their controversy peacefully. But this effort to share responsibilities with the international community only had limited success. Therefore, the United States, faced with an imminent Argentinian aggression, had to apply pressure on Buenos Aires, while promoting mediation by the Holy See, exercised its condition as the hegemonic power in the continent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]