SANTIAGO, March 10 (Xinhua) -- The presidents of Chile and Ecuador on Monday signed a joint declaration backing the 1950s fishing treaties disputed by Peru, which neighbors both of the two South American nations.

    Ecuador "wishes Chile the best of luck in overcoming these controversies," Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa told a joint press conference with his Chilean counterpart Michelle Bachelet at Chile's presidential palace, La Moneda.

    Ecuador "is following the Chile-Peru controversy closely and is hoping that it will be solved by the mechanisms chosen," Correa said.

    For her part, Bachelet said the two nations view the treaties in the same way.

    Peru demands its maritime boundary with Chile include a seashore known as Concordia, according to the 1929 Lima Treaty between the two countries, while Chile argues the maritime boundary with Peru was established under two bilateral accords signed in 1952 and 1954.

    At stake are some 14,630 square miles (37,900 sq km) of waters between the two countries that Chile has controlled since the maritime agreements in the 1950s.

    Peru filed a lawsuit against Chile at the International Court of Justice in The Hague on Wednesday, a move which drew angry responses from Chile.

    The Hague court said "the delimitation is to be determined in accordance with customary international law," but added it would probably take over five years to issue a final verdict on the dispute.