¡¡ SANTIAGO, Aug. 14 (Xinhuanet) -- Chilean President Ricardo Lagos ruled out the possibility Saturday to discuss the sea-territorial demarcation dispute with Peru, saying the matter was already solved.

    The maritime demarcation with Peru in the Pacific Ocean "is a problem for Peru," but Chile will maintain its position that this issue is solved, Lagos said during an interview with local radio station Radio Bio Bio.

    He said that the maritime question "is not what matters the most in our relations" with Peru and he had discussed with Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo about the issue.

    Lagos reiterated that the maritime demarcation of Chile and Peru was initially established in 1947 and then reaffirmed in 1952after the two countries, plus Ecuador and Bolivia, held talks on the issue.

    He insisted that Peru could take the case to the International Court of Justice but anticipated "I will take the necessary steps to protect" the interests of Chile. The country "knows that when it is necessary to talk hard, I do it; when steps have to be taken,I do so," he added.

    On Aug. 6, when meeting his Chilean counterpart Soledad Alvear,Peruvian Foreign Minister Manuel Rodriguez defused tensions between his country and Chile by saying that the 1929 Treaty that has set borders between Chile, Peru and Bolivia is "perpetual."

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