Chile Hails Progress In
Relations With Bolivia
Chile on Tuesday hailed
the substantial progress
in bilateral relations
with Bolivia, Chilean
Foreign Minister
Alejandro Foxley said.
"Relations with Bolivia
are very positive. We
are advancing
substantially," Foxley
said.
He made the remarks
after Chilean Defense
Minister Jose Goni and
his Bolivian counterpart
Walker San Miguel signed
a framework agreement on
defense cooperation on
Monday in the Bolivian
administrative capital
La Paz.
According to the
agreement, the two
countries will establish
communications
concerning defense
issues, exchange
experience in promoting
peace, and join hands in
the defense industry.
Foxley refused to give
details about the
meeting in La Paz, but
said that "the will of
the Chilean government
is very strong" in
solving issues with
Bolivia.
Foxley added that Chile
will provide a space in
the harbor of Iquique
for the transit of goods
from Bolivia in August
and build a four-hectare
platform for Bolivian
use.
In July 2006, the
governments of the two
nations kicked off the
present stage of talks
on a 13-point agenda,
including the Bolivian
request for an outlet to
the sea.
The two South American
neighbors maintain hurt
feelings over an 1879-84
war in which Chile took
Bolivia's Pacific
coastline. After
breaking off relations
on the outlet issue, the
two have not had
diplomatic relations
since 1978.
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