SANTIAGO, Oct. 25 (Xinhuanet) -- The Chilean government rejected and lamented the words of Bolivian President Carlos Mesa that his Chilean counterpart is "extremely temperamental," local daily El Mercurio reported Monday.

    The Chilean authorities, however, said it opted not to "fall inthe game" with Mesa and keep the discussion in the field of bilateral relations, based on respect for international laws and treaties.

    It has expressed friendship with concrete gestures, the government added.

    Chilean right-wing leader Joaquin Lavin also voiced support for President Ricardo Lagos Escobar, despite their many differences on domestic politics.

    "There is a single voice and we back him a hundred percent," Lavin said. "He deserves, as the president of Chile, all the respect of his counterparts."

    Mesa's remarks are part of Bolivian diplomatic offensive to pressure Chile to return the coastal territories taken from it at the end of the 19th century.

    Last Wednesday, the 100th anniversary of the peace and friendship treaty that defines the border, Mesa repeated demands to renegotiate the 1904 accord, saying Bolivia's economy has been hurt by the loss of a seaport.

    The treaty established the territorial limits between both countries after the War of the Pacific (1879-1884). Chile occupied 120,000 square kilometers of territory belonging to Bolivia and Bolivia has aspired to reclaim sea access ever since.

    Mesa insisted on Bolivia's sovereign control over a port in thePacific Ocean. But the Chilean president replied that there are no pending issues with respect to sovereignty and the 1904 accord wasfinal. Enditem