MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chilean general confirms British aid during 1982 war

Retired Chilean Air Force general Fernando Matthei and former member of the military Junta under General Augusto Pinochet confirmed that Chile collaborated with the United Kingdom during the Falklands conflict fearing they might be Argentina's second objective.

In an interview with La Tercera General Matthei said that the chances of an Argentine attack at the time were not a "supposition", and revealed that then dictator Pinochet agreed on a "strategic collaboration with the British".

Mr. Matthei was interviewed in advance of British war historian Lawrence Freedman's book "The Official History of the Falklands' Campaign" which is expected to be launched this coming week and in a chapter describes Chile's collaboration during the conflict.

According to Mr. Matthei, who apparently is quoted in the book, Argentina's military dictator of the time General Leopoldo Galtieri warned that Argentina was going to recover "all that belonged to the country in the south". "Galtieri told the Argentine people assembled in Plaza Mayo, that he was going to recover all that was Argentine in the south and the Argentine people roared with approval".

"Argentine brotherhood is most important for me but at the time and facing such a clear threat, as Commander in Chief of the Air Force my duty was to do everything imaginable to reinforce Chile's defences, which was my responsibility", argued Mr. Matthei.

The former general says the British offered Chile air equipment and material at a "very low cost" at a time when the country was suffering an arms embargo. "We needed to reinforce the Air Force and at that time we couldn't buy in any place. We were embargoed all around, and then we have the opportunity to purchase material at a very accessible cost".

Mr. Matthei says that Chile received nine Hunter fighters in kits, and after the conflict "three photographic reconnaissance aircrafts (Canberra)", however they were never used because they "didn't have the necessary range to fly over Malvinas".