Costa Rica calls OAS border resolution 'victory'

Nicaragua sent about 50 soldiers to a disputed area in October; it claims the land as its own; Costa Rica describes the moves as an "invasion."

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Costa Rica flag 311 AP (photo credit: AP)
Costa Rica flag 311 AP
(photo credit: AP)
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica – Costa Rica boasted Saturday of a "diplomatic victory" in its border spat with Nicaragua after the Organization of American States approved a resolution calling for removal of soldiers and security forces from a disputed area along the San Juan River.
"This is the first time in many years that the OAS permanent council has submitted a matter to a vote and only two countries voted against it," Costa Rican President Laura Chinchilla's office said in a statement.
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The OAS council normally seeks consensus. Nicaragua and Venezuela were the only dissenters in a 22-2 vote approving the resolution Friday.
Nicaragua sent about 50 soldiers to the disputed area in October. It claims the land as its own and has already said it will not withdraw the troops. Costa Rica describes the moves as an "invasion."
The OAS resolution also calls on the two countries to continue talks on the issue.
Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega said his government is considering withdrawing from the OAS and he called the permanent council's vote "manipulated" and "a conspiracy."
"We have been in it due to inertia because the OAS should have disappeared a while ago," Ortega said.
In San Jose, the Costa Rican capital, unknown assailants in a vehicle tossed a gasoline bomb at the building that houses the Nicaraguan Embassy on Friday, but the device did not catch fire and no injuries or damage were reported.