The Associated Press has just reported a settlement of the border dispute
between Ecuador and Peru. I thought that this dispatch might be of interest
to members of the list.
Bill Dunlap
BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) -- Peru and Ecuador have agreed on
terms to
end a border dispute that has lasted nearly 60 years, diplomatic
sources
said today. The deal would ease one of South America's last border
flashpoints.
Presidents Alberto Fujimori of Peru and Jamil Mahuad of Ecuador
will
sign a peace accord on Monday here in Brazil's capital, where the
negotiations took place, the sources said.
The two neighbors fought wars in 1941, 1981 and 1995 over the
unmarked border in the jungle-covered Cordillera del Condor
region. The
full border stretches 1,050 miles through mainly jungle terrain.
The dispute centered on a remote jungle area called Tiwintza,
located on
a 48-mile stretch of border that was not defined in the 1942 Rio
de
Janeiro Protocol that set territorial boundaries.
Peace talks begin in 1995. After years of slow progress, the
presidents of
the two nations met in August to work out the final details.
The agreement was confirmed by sources of both countries, who
asked
not to be identified pending an official announcement.
Although details were not released, the accord is based on a
proposal
elaborated by the four peace brokers: Brazil, the United States,
Argentina
and Chile.
Beyond setting the boundary between the two nations, it includes
an
agreement security measures and on trade and navigation.
The presidents of Brazil, Argentina and Chile will attend the
signing as will
King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia of Spain.
The U.S. Embassy in Brasilia said Washington had not decided whom
to
send.
As a condition for brokering the peace talks, the four nations
involved in
the talks secured approval in advance from the Peruvian and
Ecuadoran
congresses for any deal negotiated.
3:34 p.m. Eastern Time, 23 October 1998
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