An islet for a sea

The ramifications of the ruling are being closely watched elsewhere in Latin America. On December 3rd the ICJ began hearing oral arguments on a claim by Peru to a 38,000 square-km triangle of the Pacific, rich in fish, and long controlled by Chile. Peru says the maritime boundary between the two countries was never defined. Chilean officials are resigned to a Solomonic judgment from the ICJ, whose ruling is expected in mid-2013. In Peru that would look like victory, and might allow the country at last to get over its bitterness at the loss of two provinces to Chile in a war of 1879-83. In a continent where nationalism is rife, there is still much to be said for accepting the ICJ as a referee.

http://www.economist.com/news/americas/21567986-colombia-smarts-loss-territorial-waters-islet-sea?fsrc=scn/tw_ec/an_islet_for_a_sea