Bolivia May Expand Chile Sea Talks

Bolivian Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca

Lima
Feb 24

Bolivia wants to discuss with Chile its historic demand for access to the sea, without ruling out the possibility of taking the dispute to a trilateral or multilateral scenario, Bolivian Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca said on Friday.

"In this first stage, we have decided to try to solve the issue bilaterally and it will be better if we find a negotiated solution in that sphere," he said, but explained that "a trilateral scenario or multilateral scenario is not ruled out."

The tripartite formula alludes to the fact that if Chile wants to transfer part of the region of Arica, a portion of Peruvian territory until the Pacific War and part of northern Chile at present, it must count on Peru s approval by virtue of a bilateral border treaty.

Bolivia demands access to the Pacific Ocean, as a historic reparation for Chile s occupation of its coastline during the Pacific War, during which Chile also conquered the Peruvian territories of Tarapaca and Arica.