To force Chile to negotiate in good faith to restore Bolivia's access to the sea
Bolivia had lost all the land giving it sea access after its defeat by Chile in the War of the Pacific and the truce of 1884 between the countries. Bolivia held that Chile at least was required to negotiate a return to Bolivia of sovereign access to the sea. Judges at the ICJ, the United Nations' top court, did not rule on whether Chile or Bolivia had the rights to the disputed coastal stretch, but ruled that Chile was not obliged to negotiate.
