MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Ecuador and Bolivia get involved in maritime conflict between Chile and Peru

The Governments of Ecuador and Bolivia have become involved in the controversy over the maritime boundary between Chile and Peru, triggered after the 3 November Plenary of the Peruvian Congress approving a bill setting forth the basis for negotiation of a new maritime boundary with Chile.

The modification of this boundary would mean that Chile will lose some 35,000 square kilometres of an area in the Pacific Ocean rich in anchovy, one of the main raw materials for fishmeal production.

The Ecuadorian Government supports the Chilean stance in defence of agreements signed in 1952 and 1954 to delimit the maritime boundary between Chile and Peru. Nevertheless, has clarified that the joint declaration recently adopted for the visit of the chancellor and president of Chile, "do not possess any intentions, nor can they be interpreted as directed at Peru."

Meanwhile, Bolivian authorities have maintained a century-long dispute with Chile and Peru over a portion of the maritime territory currently under conflict.

Last 1 December, during a visit made by Chilean President Ricardo Lagos to the President of Ecuador Alfredo Palacio, both leaders subscribed to a declaration in Quito, where they ratified their adhesion to agreements and instruments of the Southeast Pacific, particularly to the 1952 and 1954 agreements that establish the maritime boundary between Chile and Peru through a geographic parallel.

Chilean Foreign Minister Ignacio Walker and his Ecuadorian counterpart, Francisco Carrión, have already made a similar declaration before, which had been rejected by the Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The reason is that Peru claims that both agreements deal only with fisheries accords, which do not represent a maritime delimitation, and it insists that the parallel criterion is only technically applicable to Ecuador.

"We do not like what is going on, because this is a dispute between two neighbouring countries, which we do not deem positive," said the Peruvian president of the Council of Ministers, Pedro Pablo Kuczynsky.

"Holding a meeting on boundary issues without our presence is not a good idea, politically speaking," he said.

Lagos, however, said that "Peruvians have overreacted." In reference to the meetings with Ecuadorian authorities, he said that they had simply ratified what they had historically concluded, being that the 1952 and the 1954 agreements "had established the maritime boundary between Ecuador and Peru, and between Peru and Chile, represented by the parallel."

"The sovereignty is being fully exercised and it will continue to be fully exercised," said the Chilean president.

Bolivian authorities, in turn, are in expectation of an answer from Chile regarding their maritime demand.

"Without a rush, but without excessive delay," said the Bolivian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Armando Loaiza. (FIS)