Chile seeks world court ruling on river dispute with Bolivia

By MIKE CORDER
Associated Press

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Chile has begun arguing a case at the United Nations’ highest court that seeks to resolve a long-running dispute with its Latin American neighbor Bolivia over the use of the waters of a small river that flows across both nations. Chile launched the case in 2016 asking the court to rule that the Silala River is an international watercourse, and that Chile is “entitled to the equitable and reasonable use” of its waters. The head of Chile’s legal team told judges Friday that the dispute offered the International Court of Justice “an opportunity to affirm the applicability of the basic principle of reasonable and equitable utilization in these times of increasing fresh water scarcity.”