Reaffirming its support for a peaceful settlement of the Belize-Guatemala territorial dispute, the Organization of American States’ (OAS) Permanent Council today asked the Secretary General to continue lending assistance to the two governments for “a final, just, equitable, honorable, and permanent resolution of the territorial differendum.”

A resolution to this effect adopted today by the Permanent Council follows an agreement that the Foreign Ministers of Belize and Guatemala signed at OAS Headquarters February 7. The agreement establishes a Transition Process and confidence- and security-building measures between the two countries.

Guatemala’s Permanent Representative to the OAS, Ambassador Arturo Duarte, and Belizean Alternate Representative Nestor Mendez jointly presented the resolution, which was co-sponsored by 18 member states. The Belizean and Guatemalan diplomats expressed their appreciation to the Staff of the General Secretariat for their efforts, and said they stood ready to continue working together towards a permanent resolution.

Several delegations hailed the move by the governments of Belize and Guatemala to reach a permanent resolution of their differences and to create an integrated, modern and peaceful Central America.

OAS Assistant Secretary General Luigi Einaudi urged OAS member and observer states to contribute to the Fund for Peace, established in 2000 to support the peaceful resolution of territorial disputes, including the Belize-Guatemala dispute.

Reference: E-031/03