
Geneva, President of Bolivia, Evo Morales, accused Chile here today of non-compliance of the bilateral treaties of 1904 and violating human rights of Bolivian transporters used in the neighboring country''s ports.
Evo made the denunciation when speaking at the 33rd period of sessions of the UN Council of Human Rights, being held in this Swiss city.
'A very sensitive problem that motivates my presence in this Council is affecting women, men and children of Bolivia in the coasts, crossing Chilean territory, alerted the head of State.
In his speech, Morales declared that transporters suffer a denigrating and discriminating treatment by Chilean authorities.
Morales also referred to the abuses committed against Bolivian authorities, headed by Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca who, last July, made an inspection at the ports of that country to verify the complaints.
Bolivia lost its outlet to the sea after a Chilean invasion in 1879, in 1994 both nations signed a Peace and Friendship Treaty in which Santiago committed to give this country the right of commercial transit through its territory to the ports of the Pacific.
However, said Morales 'that right is not being granted and is systematically and premeditatedly denied the Bolivian people', he explained.
The President added that the government of Chile viuolates the Convention on Commercial Traffic of 1912, the Declaration of Arica of 1953 and the General Agreement on Trade and Tariffs (GATT) of the World Trade Organization.
In his speech before the Council, Evo repeated his call to dialogue in order to solve the controversies between both countries.
Besides the maritime conflict, Bolivia and Chile have other pending issues, among them that on the Silala Springs, presented before the International Court of Justice in Le Hague.
