CP/RES. 836 (1353/03)

SUPPORT FOR THE PEACEFUL resolution OF THE TERRITORIAL DIFFERENDUM
BETWEEN BELIZE AND GUATEMALA

THE PERMANENT COUNCIL OF THE ORGANIZATION OF AMERICAN STATES,

TAKING INTO ACCOUNT:

That the Charter of the Organization of American States reaffirms the principle that "controversies of an international character arising between two or more American States shall be settled by peaceful procedures"; and

That, "strengthening of peace and security in the continent" and "ensuring the peaceful settlement of controversies which may arise between member states" are among the essential objectives of the OAS Charter;

RECOGNIZING:

That the Governments of Belize and Guatemala initiated a bilateral facilitation process with the good offices of the Secretary General and with the support of a Panel of Facilitators, in order to find a definitive solution to the territorial differendum between both states;

That the Permanent Council, through resolution CP/RES. 780 (1257/00), supported the decision of the Governments of Belize and Guatemala to seek a solution to their differences through dialogue and requested that the Secretary General lend his assistance to facilitate and promote the process initiated between the two governments; and

That through the same resolution, the Permanent Council established, within the Fund for Peace, a specific subfund entitled "Support for the Negotiations between Belize and Guatemala."

NOTING that the Panel of Facilitators presented their proposals for the final, just, equitable, honorable, and permanent resolution of their territorial differendum, to the parties on September 17, 2002;

NOTING further that it will not be possible to hold the referenda to consider the proposals of the Panel of Facilitators within the timeframe recommended by the Panel and that there is a need to manage the relationship between Belize and Guatemala as regards the territorial differendum until the referenda on the proposals are concluded; and

HAVING HEARD the presentations by the Permanent Representatives of Belize and Guatemala to the Organization of American States, in which they reiterated their Governments' commitment to continue to work constructively and in good faith to achieve a final, just, equitable, honorable, and permanent resolution of their territorial differendum and in which they explained their desire to conclude an agreement to build confidence between the two states;

RESOLVES:

1.     To reaffirm its support for the peaceful resolution of the territorial differendum between Belize and Guatemala, and for the efforts of the parties in this regard.

2.     To request the Secretary General to continue lending his assistance to the two governments for a final, just, equitable, honorable, and permanent resolution of the territorial differendum.

3.     To authorize the General Secretariat to provide such assistance as is required by the parties to implement the confidence-building measures they may mutually agree upon. Such assistance shall be financed exclusively through the specific subfund of the Fund for Peace, “Support for the Negotiations between Belize and Guatemala,” established through resolution CP/RES. 780 (1257/00), and any other specific funds identified by donors for this purpose.

4.     To invite all member states, permanent observers, multilateral institutions, and other potential donors, as defined in Article 73 of the General Standards to Govern the Operations of the General Secretariat and in accordance with other norms and regulations of the Organization, to contribute to said specific subfund.