Organization of American States
www.oas.org

 E-236-01                                                                                                     

November 29,  2001

OAS SECRETARY GENERAL APPOINTS REPRESENTATIVE TO INVESTIGATE BELIZE-GUATEMALA INCIDENTS

Secretary General César Gaviria has appointed the Organization of American States (OAS) Director in Nicaragua, Sergio Caramagna, to investigate last week's incidents in which three Guatemalans were killed in the Adjacency Zone on the Belize-Guatemala border.

Belize Ambassador Lisa Shoman and Guatemala's Ambassador Ronalth Ochaeta both  welcomed the Secretary General's proposal to appoint a special envoy to gather information on the incident.

The OAS report will be referred to the Facilitators—Sir Shridath Ramphal and Dr. Paul Reichler—who have been entrusted with finding strategies towards a peaceful and definitive settlement  of the territorial dispute between the two countries.

This past November 27, the Secretary General urged the parties to keep dialogue open and to firmly support the Facilitators in the quest for a solution acceptable to both sides.

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