MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chile and Peru attempt to cool rhetoric.

Peruvian and Chilean officials tried over the weekend to cool the heavy exchange of statements between both countries that have strained bilateral relations.

Peruvian Cabinet Secretary Carlos Ferrero insisted in claiming his country's "pacifist track" and even described relations with Chile as "good". "Our enemy is poverty, not Chile. We must fight poverty, injustice, corruption", highlighted Mr. Ferrero adding that "there has been a complete political misinterpretation of statements", regarding the maritime border review Peru is demanding and which Chile considers sealed with treaties dating back to the fifties.

In Santiago Home Secretary Jose Miguel Insulza reiterated it was not in the interest of Chile to discuss the issue, and "we're planning no more comments" with the purpose of "pacifying spirits".

However Mr. Insulza said that if some believe the issue should be taken to arbitrators or a Court, "we'll say there's nothing to discuss and the debate will follow; but we must end this kind of rhetoric which is making no good to any side".

Earlier in Lima Peruvian Foreign Affairs Minister Manuel Rodriguez Cuadros said it was time to end of the "political rattling" and requested political actors to refrain from further comments.

Nevertheless the leader of one of the main opposition parties Lourdes Flores said Peru should not discard the International Court of the Hague as a possible arbitrator for the maritime border review demanded from Chile.