Argentina Agrees to Return U.S. Satellite Phones Seized From Special Forces Trainers

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. has settled a dispute with Argentina over that country's February seizure of military equipment brought in by an American police-training team.

State Department spokesman Mark Toner said Tuesday that Argentina has agreed to return the material after impounding it for four months.

Officials have described the material as three satellite phones with related software, hardware and encryption codes that Special Forces trainers take with them. Only one of the devices was declared, leading to Argentine accusations that illegal wiretapping equipment was being spirited into the country.

The spat worsened when Argentina demanded an apology and the U.S. refused.

Toner said the U.S. demonstrated to Argentina that its laws and customs requirements had been respected.

He said the problem related to "unintentional administrative errors."