The Bolivian government said on Friday that it would demand the administration of Chilean president-elect Michelle Bachelet return its land bridge to the Pacific Ocean, according to reports from Bolivia.

Bolivian Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca said in La Paz that he was confident he would have a dialogue "with no exclusions" with the Bachelet administration.

The "maritime reintegration" of Bolivia is one of the key foreign policy goals of the new Bolivian government of President Evo Morales.

Choquehuanca said he wished the two governments to maintain the "cordial and positive" atmosphere created by outgoing Chilean leader, Ricardo Lagos, who attended Morales' inauguration ceremony on Jan. 22.

Bachelet will take office on March 11.

Choquehuanca said his government wanted to build a new relationship with Chile, based on the well-being of both nations.

Bolivia has been without an exit to the Pacific Ocean since the 19th century, when Chile won the War of the Pacific against Bolivia and Peru, gaining territory from both countries.

Chile has no diplomatic relations with Bolivia since 1979, because of a disagreement on Bolivian claims to a land exit to the sea.

Relations between the two countries have been gradually improving in recent years and the countries have signed a trade accord.

Source: Xinhua