PERU: PERU AND ECUADOR BEGIN TALKS ON PEACE OVER BORDER DISPUTE

Описание: (1 Feb 1995) Spanish/Nat


Peru and Ecuador have begun talks on ending clashes over their disputed Amazon border.

Talks started Tuesday and are expected to resume today.

The Peruvian Foreign Minister, Efrain Goldenberg, said his government hoped to reach an agreement with Ecuador during negotiations in Brazil between the two countries and members of the Rio Protocol group.

Ecuador had announced a ceasefire Tuesday but Peru maintains it has not formally agreed to end the border conflict.

Tensions in the border area are still high - Peru is still sending troops to by truck and river boat.

Meanwhile, diplomats from the two countries met separately overnight (31 Jan-1 Feb) with representatives from the United States, Argentina, Brazil and Chile- guarantors of the 1942 Rio Protocol that was supposed to define the border.

Peru's foreign minister said his government hoped to reach an agreement on "suspension of military operations" during the Brazil talks.

SOUNDBITE:
"We hope that in the talk process with the group of countries that mediated in the peace treaty (Rio Protocol), Argentina, Brazil, Chile and the United States, we will arrive at a cessation of military operations. If everything goes according to plan, we are also willing to withdraw ships, parts of our navy, submarines, tanks and artillery. I want to stress that the Peruvian government, the whole of Peru, is more than willing to take whatever position for peace. We said it a thousand and one times, every time we had the opportunity to do so."
SUPER CAPTION: Efrain Goldenberg - Peruvian Foreign Minister

The minister's comments were the first official recognition that Peru had moved ships and submarines towards Ecuador's coast.

The clashes have focused on a remote jungle area that's long been in dispute. The two South American nations fought over the area in 1941 and again in 1981.

Periodically, each accuses the other of invading the area to
stake claims to gold, uranium and possible oil deposits in the region.

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