The bioceanic principle (in Spanish: ''principio bioceánico''), also called the Atlantic-Pacific principle (in Spanish: ''principio Atlántico-Pacífico''), is a criterion or doctrine of territorial division that

Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, t ...

tried to apply as a principle of

international law International law (also known as public international law and the law of nations) is the set of rules, norms, and standards generally recognized as binding between states. It establishes normative guidelines and a common conceptual framework for ...

within its limits with

Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the eas ...

, of which Chile strictly rejected its existence. The difference between the two countries was the subject of diplomatic disagreements during most of the second half of the 20th century. The

arbitral tribunal An arbitral tribunal or arbitration tribunal, also arbitration commission, arbitration committee or arbitration council is a panel of unbiased adjudicators which is convened and sits to resolve a dispute by way of arbitration. The tribunal may con ...

that ruled on the

Beagle conflict The Beagle conflict was a border dispute between Chile and Argentina over the possession of Picton, Lennox and Nueva islands and the scope of the maritime jurisdiction associated with those islands that brought the countries to the brink of war ...

in 1977, after a study of the arguments presented by both countries between 1971 and 1977, when the criterion was formally developed by Argentina, issued a judgment that declared such principle non-existent. Argentina declared the arbitration ruling of the judges null and void and planned a

military operation A military operation is the coordinated military actions of a state, or a non-state actor, in response to a developing situation. These actions are designed as a military plan to resolve the situation in the state or actor's favor. Operations ...

at the end of the decade. Chile accepted the arbitration award and transformed it into the law of the Republic. Argentina understood that its essential form was made explicit on May 1, 1893, in the additional and clarifying protocol of the 1881 treaty, postulating that in its American territories Chile cannot claim any point towards the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the "Old World" of Afr ...

, while Argentina cannot claim it towards the

Pacific Ocean The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the contine ...

. This Argentinian interpretation has never been applied in determining the border and has never been recognized internationally. Currently the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Argentina and Chile leaves the islands Picton, Nueva, Lennox, Terhalten, Bernavelt,

Hornos Hornos is a municipality located in the province of Jaén, Spain. According to the 2005 census, Instituto Nacional de Estadística (INE) the city has a population of 657 inhabitants. See also * El Tranco de Beas Dam * Sierra de Segura Sierra ...

, Deceit and other with eastern coasts under Chilean sovereignty. This treaty has been in force since 1984 and recognized by both countries.

References

{{reflist Argentina–Chile border Disputed territories in South America Drainage divides