Peruvian FM says ties with Chile not "moving backward"
Peru's relations with Chile now face some problems, but they are still improving, Peruvian Foreign Minister Manuel Rodriguez Cuadros was quoted as saying on Monday.

In an interview with the daily El Comercio, Cuadros denied there was a "backward movement" in bilateral ties.

The two countries' relations deteriorated after the former Ecuadorian joint chief of staff, retired general Victor Bayas, revealed his country purchased arms from Chile during a brief border war with Peru in 1995. He later retracted the words.

Rodriguez said the present governments of Peru and Chile are not involved in the 1995 armed conflict, but the statement of such nature, along with other evidences, makes it imperative to have an investigation to clear things up.

"That's why we will hold a meeting between the Peruvian and Chilean military leaderships which will also be attended by a delegation of the Foreign Ministry, " he was quoted as saying. There will be a second meeting between the foreign and defense ministers of the two countries on April 21, he said.

Peru will not pre-judge whether Bayas' words were true or not, Rodriguez said.