GRANADA, Nicaragua – Costa Rican and Nicaraguan tourism and environment officials sat down behind closed doors yesterday to lay the groundwork for opening up the border for ecotourists traveling between the countries and protecting binational ecological corridors.

The two-day commission, which will culminate today with a meeting between the presidents of both neighboring countries, is the first substantive work session since Costa Rican President Oscar Arias and his Nicaraguan counterpart, Daniel Ortega, pledged to smooth out rocky relations between the neighboring countries last year (TT, Aug. 24).

The Granada summit marks the revival of the Bilateral Commission, a 1990s project to create a permanent dialogue to address issues of common interest between the two nations. The commission was suspended in 1997 during an escalation of tensions over the San Juan River (TT, Aug. 24).

Despite previous appeals from Ortega, Arias has said he would not drop a case over navigation rights to the San Juan River, now under consideration in the International Court of Justice in The Hague (TT, Nov 23, 2007).

A major issue to be confronted will be recent allegations in Nicaragua's National Assembly that Costa Rican farmers have been causing serious contamination of Lake Nicaragua, the hemisphere's largest tropical lake, with pesticides and fertilizers that drain into the water from irrigation runoff.

“We'll look at these issues of reducing agricultural production contamination coming from Costa Rica,” said Nicaragua's Environment Minister Juana Vicenta Argeñal.

Attendees, including both countries' environment ministers, tourism ministers, vice ministers of foreign affairs, and border town mayors, will also discuss expanding the limited number of border crossings, reducing visa costs and procedures, and efforts to protect threatened flora and fauna shared by the two countries.

Based upon yesterday's work session, the commission will draft a formal agreement, to be signed by Ortega and Arias today. Though the presidents had originally planned to meet in Granada, Nicaragua's Foreign Affairs Ministry spokeswoman, Vilma Aburto, said they will most likely meet in Managua now.