The Organization of American States is urging Costa Rica and Nicaragua to pull out troops from a disputed border area and resume talks to resolve the matter.
In a resolution approved late Friday, the OAS called on the two nations to meet as soon as possible to begin talks on the disputed area.
The regional body also urged the nations to "avoid the presence of military or security forces " in the border area to prevent tensions from rising during the dialogue.
The OAS resolution comes after nearly 10 days of meetings on the dispute.
At issue is Calero Island, which is claimed by Costa Rica. The island is located in the middle of the San Juan River which divides the two countries.
Costa Rican officials had appealed to the OAS, claiming Nicaraguan forces recently landed on the island and began dredging the river, causing damage to the environment.
The Nicaraguan government has denied the charges and called for a peaceful resolution of the dispute.
Costa Rican Security Minister Jose Tijerino has said his country will try to avoid a confrontation that would aggravate the situation. But he said his country will reinforce its police presence in the area.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP.
