23 Killed in 3 Days of Clashes at Peru, Ecuador Border

Ecuadorean officials said Saturday the country’s air force had pursued a squadron of Peruvian aircraft flying over its territory, sparking new fears that the armed conflict between the two South American nations could escalate.

Ecuadorean troops also repelled attacks from Peruvian forces trying to overrun defense posts in fighting that has killed 20 Peruvians and three Ecuadoreans in three days, Ecuadorean officials said.

Peru and Ecuador fought a war in 1941 over their 1,000-mile border, and animosity is still strong. In dispute is a 50-mile length of jungle-covered mountains, the Cordillera del Condor, where bloody clashes took place in 1981. The 130-square-mile area is said to be rich in gold deposits.

Ecuador contends it lost almost half of its territory with the signing of the 1942 Protocol of Rio de Janeiro after the 1941 war. Ecuador later declared void the territorial limits set by the protocol and has maintained a historical claim to the area, which would give Ecuador access to the Amazon and Maranon rivers.

Many Peruvians view the conflict as an annual attempt by Ecuador to stress its claim to the disputed area. Today is the anniversary of the signing of the Rio Protocol.

The last serious clashes between the two countries were in 1981. In January, 1994, Ecuador said its troops exchanged gunfire with Peruvian soldiers who crossed the border. Peruvian officials said Ecuador was the aggressor.

Ecuadorean President Sixto Duran Ballen declared a state of emergency Friday, and said he had ordered his armed forces to repel all attacks on defense posts, but had forbidden attacks outside Ecuadorean territory. He said Ecuador was willing to accept a cease-fire as long as it did not mean giving up land.

Organization of American States chief Cesar Gaviria met Saturday with Duran Ballen in Quito and with Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori in Lima.

Fujimori said Peru intended to respect international treaties--in particular the Rio Protocol.

He said both governments “have time to prevent the situation from deteriorating. It would be dangerous for the peace and friendship between Peru and Ecuador . . . and could lead us into an escalation of the situation.”

U.N. Secretary General Boutros Boutros-Ghali said he was “gravely concerned about the current tension.” Pope John Paul II issued a call to both countries to cease hostilities.