Peruvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Chile and Peru will both suffer if trade agreement is not immediately addressed

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LIMA.- Yesterday, Officer José Antonio García Belaúnde of the Peruvian Foreign Ministry warned that harm would come to both Peru and Chile if the Chilean government does not prioritize the discussion concerning the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) in the Senate.

García Belaúnde added that the Peruvian government trusts that "commercial relations with Chile will be maintained according to previous agreements". This statement comes after information had been received indicating that, one week after Peru's presentation of a border dispute against Chile at the Hague International Court, the Chilean Executive Branch had decided to revoke the urgency that had been placed on the issue.

Nevertheless, Chilean Foreign Officer Alejandro Foxely assured that steps to address the free trade agreement with Peru are being routinely processed. "The agreement with Peru is being routinely processed. Many law proposals had been scheduled ahead of this one and it was not addressed yesterday (at the Senate) because there wasn't adequate time to do so", he explained.

The deal aims to expand merchandise trade benefits that had already been established with the celebrated Economic Complementation Agreements reached between the two countries during the 90s.