CHILE: REACHING A CROSSROAD?

Created: 6/28/1976

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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Chllei rossroad?

Tha Pinochet government ia gratified withof the recent meeting of the OASin Santiago, from which the host derivedof badly needed respectability. Thethe human rights situation in Chile did

make the government particularly uneaay and in fact nay haveense of relief to those officials whoharper focusarsher reaction.

The Chileansood impression on most of the vliitors. some of whom departed expressing skepticism about charges leveled at Chile for human righte The picture of order and stability presented by the junta did much to convince Latin American delegates that allegations of continuing repression are exaggerated.

During the course of the meeting Chile elao succeeded in forging an informal alliancehalanx ofcountrlea having similar ideological Santiago this as the "anti-Marxistaade up of Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, and Nicaragua--and it can be counted on to come to Chile's defense on the human rights iasue.

while international criticism of the Pinochet regime will continue to cauae problems for Chile, there isetter chance that opposition to the junta will uegln to abate. Measures it has taken to ease up on the worst aspects of its detention procedures and to release prisoners arealutary effect. If the government continues to demonstrate progress in this area, it will probably win wideror at least grudging acceptance.

Critics in the US and Western Europe, meanwhile, can be expected to keep up pressure on Chile to reform its international security practicea. Unless the

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momentum of recent changes la sustained, Chile will still be denied support from western democratic sources.

Judging by past performance, improvementstreatment of political prisoners andbe slow and retrogression will remain a

Original document.

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