(E-073/01)
March 30, 2001 PHOTOGUATEMALA PRESENT ITS CASE IN THE BELIZE-GUATEMALA
TERRITORIAL DIFFERENDUM
A high-level delegation of the Government of Guatemala, headed by Ambassador Gustavo Orellana, presented formally today the merits of Guatemala’s case in the Belize-Guatemala territorial differendum to the Secretary General of the OAS, César Gaviria.
"On behalf of the Foreign Minister, Gabriel Orellana Rojas, I am pleased to submit the written presentation of the merits of the case concerning the territorial, insular and maritime claim, as agreed February 7, 2001", said Orellana. "The Government of Guatemala confides in the wisdom and impartiality of the OAS and of the Facilitators, Messieurs Shridath Ramphal and Paul Reichler, in order to achieve an equitable solution for the Parties", he added.
Secretary General Gaviria received the documents on behalf of the OAS and the two Facilitators and noted that substantial progress has been achieved through the negotiation process since it began in August, 2000. "Should this process prove successful, it will serve as a very valuable model for dispute resolution within the framework of the OAS, which could be applied to other countries of the Americas", the Secretary General said.
Ambassador Orellana also presented a copy of the documentation to Ambassador Lisa Shoman, Belize’s Permanent Representative to the Organization of American States. Ambassador Shoman thanked the representative of Guatemala, and informed that her Government would present its case within the timeframe prescribed. "We hope for a win-win result", said Shoman. According to the February 7, 2001 Agreement, Belize should present its case on or before April 30, 2001.
The Governments of Belize and Guatemala, with the assistance of the Secretary General and the Facilitators, have been engaged in a negotiation process for the peaceful resolution of their territorial differendum. As a result of ministerial-level meetings held in November 2000, and January and February 2001, the Parties agreed to a series of confidence-building measures as a first step in the negotiation process. With the presentation by Guatemala of its case, the process moves into a new phase during which the Facilitators will examine the merits of each Government’s position and will make recommendations for the definitive resolution of the differendum.
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