President Alan Garcia on Monday called for "silence" on controversial remarks concerning Chile that were made by the general commander of the Peruvian army.
Feneral Edwin Donayre had said that in case of an invasion, each "Chilean who enter will not exit, or exit inside a coffin" during a private meeting at the end of last year.
"In Peru, we are ready to declare about anything, always, without knowing that the best way is silence," Garcia told reporters.
The general's remarks were broadcast on Nov. 24 by a Peruvian TV station, and provoked bitterness amongst Chileans.
Chilean Foreign Minister Alejandro Foxley said an impasse between the two countries couldn't be surpassed without Donayre's exit from the army. Donayre is expected to retire on Dec. 5.
Alan Garcia immediately replied by saying that Peru did not accept any order or pressure from a foreign country.
Donayre had sent a letter to his Chilean counterpart to apologize, saying that he had made the remarks in a certain context. However, he refused to subdue to the pressure and resign.
Nelson Avila, a Chilean senator from the ruling party, noted that there existed a "historical understanding" between Chile and Peru, adding that any opinion or sharp remark from the military "will not become an obstacle for the development of the ties" between the countries.
In the wake of the impasse, Peruvian Defense Minister Antero Flores-Araoz has declined to participate in a Chilean naval exhibition scheduled for Monday.
Source:Xinhua
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