Peru, Chile Locked In
Maritime Territory
Dispute
Tensions are running
high between Peru and
Chile as the two
countries are locked in
a maritime territory
dispute in which neither
side has shown any
intention of budging.
The week-long border
disagreement was capped
with Peru filing a
lawsuit against Chile at
the International Court
of Justice (ICJ) at The
Hague on Wednesday, a
move drawing angry
responses from Chile,
which claims the
disputed area is
"unquestionably under
Chilean sovereignty and
jurisdiction."
The Hague Court said
Peru "began procedures
against Chile demanding
a zone within 200 miles
of the coast, that
belongs to Peru but
Chile believes is part
of its ocean."
Peru demands its
maritime boundary with
Chile include a seashore
known as Concordia,
according to the 1929
Lima Treaty between the
two countries, while
Chile argues the
maritime boundary with
Peru was established
under two bilateral
accords signed in 1952
and 1954.
Peru refuted that the
two treaties mentioned
by Chile were merely
fishing accords and
accused Chile of
"grabbing" 37,900 sq km
of resource-rich ocean
from Peru.
"Deeply lamenting"
Peru's presentation of
the lawsuit, Chile
recalled its ambassador
from Lima on Thursday.
Chilean Foreign Minister
Alejandro Foxley said
the ambassador was
called back to inform
the Chilean government
and meet with a legal
team analyzing the
situation and seeking
ways to defend Chile's
position.
Foxley said the
ambassador must "assure
us that what has
occurred will allow us a
good defense for Chile,
but also normalcy in the
relations with
neighboring countries."
Chilean President
Michelle Bachelet also
termed such a move as
"something normal,
natural and
appropriate."
"In this type of
situation, it is always
appropriate to call the
ambassador so that he
comes to inform about a
set of issues he may
have officially received
from the Peruvian
government," said
Bachelet, adding "an
important part of the
advisory team" will
defend Chile's maritime
border position with the
Foreign Ministry before
the Hague.
Defending Peru's stance,
Peruvian President Alan
Garcia told parliament
on Wednesday that the
lawsuit aims to solve
the problem peacefully,
fairly and completely
and that he hopes to
avoid any damage to
relations between the
two countries.
Garcia added he believed
"the case at The Hague
will resolve the
bilateral controversy in
the most civilized and
sensible manner."
Also upbeat on the
prospects of the case,
Peruvian Foreign
Minister Jose Garcia
Belaunde said "the
presentation of the
demand will cause
certain agitation" but
that later "everything
will return to normal"
in Peru's relations with
Chile.
The top Peruvian
diplomat said Chile's
recalling its ambassador
was something
understandable under
such circumstances, but
Peru would not follow
suit. He also expressed
hope that the meeting
between the Peruvian and
Chilean foreign and
defense ministers would
be held as scheduled.
However, Peruvian
Defense Minister Antero
Flores-Araoz struck
amore stern note, saying
Peru's position is based
on solid juridical
arguments and historical
tradition, and the
dispute must be solved
in accordance with
international law.
The Hague court said
"the delimitation is to
be determined in
accordance with
customary international
law," but added it would
probably take over five
years to issue a final
verdict on the dispute.
The case also caused
concerns from other
Latin American countries
such as Ecuador and
Bolivia, which had hoped
that Peru and Chile
would settle this
dispute through peaceful
means. Bolivian Foreign
Minister David
Choquehuanca said on
Thursday that this
dispute would not affect
his country's trade
talks with Peru.
Analysts said the
ownership of the rich
fishing resources in the
area lies at the core of
the dispute. Chile used
to detain Peruvian ships
entering the disputed
area, but in 2006 it
amended its constitution
to lay claim to the
ownership of the area.
Chile will now use its
right to settle disputes
through military means,
analysts say.
Therefore, resorting to
the international court
for a settlement would
probably be the best way
to solve the
disagreement peacefully,
analysts say
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