Arica and Parinacota Region

The XV Arica and Parinacota Region ( _es. XV Región de Arica y Parinacota) is one of Chile's 15 first order administrative divisions. Its capital is Arica. It is also the country's newest region, becoming operational on October 8 2007. It was created by subdividing the Tarapacá Region and consists of two provinces: Arica and Parinacota.

Border dispute with Peru

On January 26th, 2007, Peru’s government issued a protest against Chile’s demarcation of the coastal frontier the two countries share. According to the Peruvian Foreign Ministry, the Chilean legislatures had endorsed a plan regarding the Arica and Parinacota region which did not comply with the current established territorial demarcation. Moreover, it is alleged that the proposed Chilean law included an assertion of sovereignty over 19,000 sq. meters of land in Peru's Tacna Region. According to the Peruvian Foreign Ministry, Chile has defined a new region "without respecting the Concordia demarcation."

The Chilean deputies and senators that approved the law said they didn't notice this error.Fact|date=January 2008 For its part, the Chilean government has asserted that the region in dispute is not a coastal site named Concordia, but instead refers to boundary stone No. 1, which is located to the northeast and 200 meters inland.Peru protests against Chile's new definition of territory "Xinhua People’s Daily online" [http://english.people.com.cn/200701/27/eng20070127_345352.html] . (accessed January 27 2007)] A possible border dispute was averted when the Chilean Constitutional Court formally ruled on January 26 2007 against the legislation. While agreeing with the court's ruling, the Chilean government reiterated its stance that the maritime borders between the two nations were not in question and have been formally recognized by the international community. [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/01/27/america/LA-GEN-Chile-Peru-Border-Dispute.php] . The Peruvian government has stated that it might turn to the international court at The Hague to solve the dispute. [ “Peru-Chile Sea Dispute May Go to The Hague” Lima, January 27, 2007 Prensa Latina [http://www.plenglish.com/article.asp?ID=%7B0717DC70-D950-4AC2-9D92-67B4B7D28892%7D&language=EN] (accessed January 28 2007)]

This law was heavily criticized in both Chile and Peru. In Peru nationalists interpret Chile's move, as a rather indifferent attitude toward the international treaties that defines the borders with Peru. In Chile politicians were upset of that the friendly government of Alan Garcia may chill down the good relations and gestures he had started toward Chile.

References

External links

* [http://www.bcn.cl/leyes/pdf/original/259864.pdf Ley Nº 20.175] (Law creating the region, in Spanish)
* [http://www.tribunalconstitucional.cl/archivos/sentencias/Rol0719.pdf Constitutional Court sentence] (in Spanish)