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OAS and European Union to Sign Agreement to Support the Peaceful Resolution of the Belize-Guatemala Territorial Differendum

  December 14, 2012

The Organization of American States (OAS) and the European Union will sign, on Monday, December 17, at 9:30 EST (14:30 GMT) at OAS headquarters in Washington, DC, an agreement to support the Peace Fund project, Implementation of Confidence Building Measures in the Adjacency Zone between Belize and Guatemala, managed by the hemispheric organization.

The agreement will help to fund a civic education campaign to generate awareness of the consequences of the referendum that will be held simultaneously in both countries on October 6, 2013, in order to support efforts to find a peaceful and permanent resolution to the territorial dispute between the two countries.

Participating in the ceremony will be the Secretary General of the OAS, José Miguel Insulza; the Permanent Observer of the European Union to the OAS, Joao Vale de Almeida; the Permanent Representative of Belize, Nestor Mendez; the Permanent Representative of Guatemala, José Rodrigo Vielmann de León, the Chair of the Permanent Council and Representative of Mexico, Joel Hernández; representatives of Member States and Observers, and other senior officials of the organization.

The OAS provides technical and political assistance with regard to the differendum between Belize and Guatemala by facilitating the negotiations taking place under the “Agreement on a Framework for Negotiations and Confidence-Building Measures” signed by the Governments of Belize and Guatemala in September 2005.

Likewise, the OAS General Secretariat’s Office in the Adjacency Zone between Belize and Guatemala conducts verifications and activities in support of a number of government institutions, including the armed forces of both countries. Several projects are also under way to foster development and integration of the communities in the Adjacency Zone, along with community resettlement projects.

WHAT: Signing of OAS-EU Cooperation Agreement to Support Peaceful Resolution of Belize-Guatemala Dispute

WHEN: Monday, December 17, at 9:30 EST (14:30 GMT)

WHERE:Organization of American States
17th Street & Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20006

Reference: AVI-257/12