MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Chileans reject relinquishing territory to Bolivia

Most Chileans reject relinquishing sovereignty over Bolivia's former coastal region, despite La Paz's demand for renewed sea access, according to a survey published Sunday by the daily La Tercera.

However an overwhelming majority, 90%, favour re-establishing diplomatic relations which were suspended in 1978, and 88% feel that any maritime accord negotiated with Bolivia should be subjected to a referendum.

Some 75% replied positively when asked about a solution to the territorial dispute if it did not involve ceding sovereignty, and 69% rejected any possible return of former Bolivian territory to La Paz. Additionally 62% said they were against Bolivia giving up other portions of its territory to Chile in exchange for reclaiming a sovereign corridor to the Pacific Ocean which it lost in the 1879/83 Pacific war.

The telephone survey, said La Tercera, was conducted last Thursday/Friday among 427 Chilean citizens over 18 in eight major cities and with 5% error margin.

The Pacific Ocean access dispute between Chile and Bolivia resurfaced this week with the celebration of the "Day of the Sea" in the Andes highlands. Bolivian President Evo Morales called for a special meeting of the Organization of American States to discuss the matter, a request that was categorically rejected by Santiago.

The survey found that if some sort of territorial exchange was arranged, 63% of those polled said Bolivia should compensate Chile with a swath of territory equivalent in size to the land and sea area Santiago would be returning.

Surprisingly 83% of those polled think that the disputed territory was always Chile's and was simply recovered in the 1879 war. Some 89% believe the territory is now Chilean because of the 1904 treaty signed by both countries and 50% don't think the lack of ocean access has limited Bolivia's economic development, with 43% support the idea.

An astonishing 55% said that the best thing is to maintain the status quo; 41% that some change should be made and 74% did not feel a sea corridor was a fair solution.

A majority of 56% approved the participation of former Chilean president Ricardo Lagos at Morales' January inauguration and Mr. Morales retribution when he was present for the taking office ceremony of Chilean President Michelle Bachelet, last March 11.

During the "Day of the Sea" festivities on Thursday, Morales announced he would ask for a debate on maritime access in a special session of the Organization of American States. But Chilean Foreign Minister Alejandro Foxley said Friday that the controversy is by nature bilateral and "does not require other interventions".

He added that Chile is "more than pleased to hold a fruitful dialogue with Bolivia, with an open agenda and without exclusions".

OAS has not voiced an opinion since 1979 when it argued that the issue was of hemispheric significance, and called on Chile to make an effort to help solve it. Chile has repeatedly stated that it will not give Bolivia any sovereign territory along the coast, although recently alternative options, such as corridor-type arrangement that would ensure Bolivian access to the Pacific have been floated.