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Belize and Guatemala
OAS Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza, meets with the President of Guatemala, Alvaro Colom (left), and with the Foreign Minister of Belize, Wilfred Elrington (right)
Background
The governments of Belize and Guatemala restarted talks on their longstanding territorial differendum in March, 2000 under the auspices of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS). Jointly, Belize and Guatemala appointed a Panel of Facilitators to help guide the negotiating process.

As a result of this process, in February 2003, the Foreign Ministers of Belize and Guatemala signed an “Agreement to Establish a Transition Process and Confidence-Building Measures” between the two countries, which was later amended in September 2005 in the “Agreement on a Framework for Negotiations and Confidence-Building Measures between Belize and Guatemala”.

Under this Agreement an Adjacency Zone between the two countries was established and the OAS opened an Office in the area to implement confidence-building measures.

Since then, the OAS Office in the Adjacency Zone has carried out a series of activities that have substantially eased tensions; it has fostered community development; it has prevented the escalation of conflicts through verification missions and reporting of incidents; it has supported the armed forces; and it has successfully executed community resettlement projects, such as Santa Rosa Community and the Nueva Juda Resettlement Projects.

In 2003, the Secretary General of the OAS, at the request of the governments of Belize and Guatemala, established a broadly representative Group of Friends of the Belize-Guatemala Transition Process (the “Group of Friends”), consisting of OAS Member and Observer States, and others interested in supporting a peaceful resolution to the territorial differendum. The Group of Friends acts as an advisory body to the Secretary General and provides political and operational support for undertaking the various activities contemplated under the “Agreement to Establish a Transition Process and Confidence Building Measures between Belize and Guatemala”. Some members of the Group of Friends provide financial assistance for the activities undertaken under the Transition Process and Confidence Building Measures, by means of contributions to the Belize-Guatemala sub-fund of the Fund for Peace.
Current Status
On December 8, 2008, the Governments of Belize and Guatemala, acting on the recommendation of OAS Secretary General José Miguel Insulza, signed the “Special Agreement to Submit Guatemala’s Territorial, Insular, and Maritime Claim to the International Court of Justice”. Pursuant to the countries´ respective national systems and constitutional requirements, the Special Agreement has to be submitted to referendum to be approved. On April 27, 2012, the Foreign Ministers of Belize and Guatemala agreed that the single-issue simultaneous referenda to submit Guatemala’s Territorial, Insular and Maritime claim to the International Court of Justice would be held on Sunday, October 6, 2013.

Thanks to the support of the OAS through the Peace Fund, Belize and Guatemala are closer than ever to finding a permanent solution to their centuries-old conflict.
Recent Activities
On April 27th 2012, delegations from Belize and Guatemala, headed by their respective Foreign Ministers, Wilfred Elrington and Harold Caballeros, met with OAS Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza, at the headquarters of the OAS to determine the date on which the simultaneous single issue referenda will take place in both countries in compliance with the Special Agreement between Belize and Guatemala to submit Guatemala’s Territorial, Insular and Maritime claim to the International Court of Justice. The Ministers agreed that the simultaneous referenda will take place on October 6, 2013.

On March 3, 2012, as part of his tour of three Caribbean countries, in celebration of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee, Prince Harry of Wales visited the OAS Office in the Adjacency Zone to observe the culture of peace program where children of Belize and Guatemala showcased the artwork and musical skills that they have acquired through this initiative.

On February 29, 2012, an operational coordination meeting between the Belize Defense Forces (BDF) and the Guatemalan Army is going to be held at the OAS/AZ Mission. These meetings are held every three months under the auspices of the OAS to exchange information on the situation in the Adjacency Zone and to inform about the most recent activities and patrols carried out by the respective armies in the area.

On February 11, 2012, an OAS delegation headed by Ambassador Raul Lago, Special Representative of the Secretary General for Belize and Guatemala visited the Monte de los Olivos village to deliver large sacks of rice, beans, oil and other basic goods to the family of a Guatemalan citizen of Kekchi origin who recently died during an incident in the Adjacency Zone.

On January 29, 2012, the Director of the OAS Office in the Adjacency Zone, Sergio Benitez, and the Chief of the OAS Peace Fund, Magdalena Talamas, carried out a verification in Belize´s Chiquibul National Park with the accompaniment of Rafael Manzanero, Executive Director of the Belizean NGO Friends for Conservation and Development, and Derric Chan, Manager of the Park, to observe the increasing damages that the Park is suffering as a result of illegal logging and extraction of natural resources. The OAS, through its Office in the Adjacency Zone, is identifying opportunities for joint collaboration to mitigate the effects of these activities on this priceless natural reserve.

On January 25, 2012, shortly after assuming their new duties, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala, Harold Caballeros, together with the Minister of Defense, Ulises Anzueto, travelled to the Adjacency Zone, accompanied by the Belize Commission (COMBEL) of the Guatemalan Foreign Ministry. As part of their visit to the AZ, the delegation visited the OAS Office, where they were greeted by the Special Representative of the Secretary General, Ambassador Raul Lago. The Director of the OAS Office in the Adjacency Zone, Sergio Benitez, made a presentation on the work of the Mission.

From June to November, 2011, in coordination with the Mayors of the communities on both sides of the Adjacency Line between Belize and Guatemala , Melchor de Menco and Benque Viejo, the OAS/AZ Office will execute a culture of peace program. The program will consist of music (wind and string instruments), singing, painting and theater workshops and training programs for Belizean and Guatemalan students resident in the area.

On May 25th, 2011, the Belize Defense Forces (BDF) hosted the tripartite trimestral Operational Coordination Meeting between the BDF and the Guatemalan Army with the participation of the Director of the OAS Office in the Adjacency Zone, the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Belize-Guatemala Affairs, Ambassador Raul J. Lago, and the Chief of the OAS Peace Fund. The meeting took place at the Windy Hill Hotel in San Ignacio Belize and was presided by Coronel Javier Castellanos, Deputy Commander of the Belize Defense Force.

On May 5th, 2011, the General Secretariat of the OAS convened a meeting of the Group of Friends of Belize and Guatemala in the Main Building of the OAS, in Washington DC. The OAS Secretary General provided an overview of the most recent advances with regard to the negotiation process. Likewise, the Special Representative of the Secretary General for Belize-Guatemala briefed the participants on the activities implemented by the OAS Office in the Adjacency Zone, and also discussed future activities aimed at implementing confidence building measures between the two countries.

On March 9, 2010, Representatives of Belize and Guatemala met in Belize City, Belize under the auspices of the OAS to put in effect a High Level Working Group to promote a direct and continuous line of communication between both countries on the situation in the Adjacency Zone, as well as to examine issues of common concern, and to advance on pending bilateral matters.

On December 16, 2009, at the invitation of Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza, the foreign Ministers of Belize and Guatemala, Wilfred Elrington and Roger Haroldo Rodas Melgar, met at OAS Headquarters in Washington, D.C. to discuss opportunities that will help bring even closer the governments and people of Belize and Guatemala. As a result of the meeting, and following a proposal by the OAS Secretary General, it was decided that a high level working group would be created to further facilitate the efficiency in the fulfillment of the Confidence-Building Measures and the possibility of carrying out joint projects of cooperation in the framework of the OAS.

On December 8, 2009, in Santa Elena, Guatemala, the General Secretariat of the OAS facilitated a Technical Meeting between delegations of Belize and Guatemala who met to discuss environmental and security concerns in the Adjacency Zone.

The program “Promoting a Culture of Peace” concluded on October 16, 2009. With support from the Federal Republic of Germany, this program enrolled more than 300 Belizean and Guatemalan students in music (wind and string instruments), singing, painting, and theater classes. The classes were held in the facilities of the OAS Office in the Adjacency Zone and at the Cultural Center of Benque Viejo, Belize. The initiative was coordinated by the Mayors of Melchor de Menco and Benque Viejo. The closing ceremony was a cultural event attended by members of the Diplomatic Corps and NGOs of Belize and Guatemala, officials of the two countries, and the Secretary General’s representative for Belize–Guatemala affairs. Belizean and Guatemalan schools participated, with a total of 1,800 students.

Rural Tourism as an Income Generator
The Peace Fund in coordination with the YABT and the government of Israel provide scholarships, one for a Belizean citizen and one for a Guatemalan citizen, to be trained in rural tourism at the Golda Meir International Center – Mount Carmel of Israel. “The Small Business of Rural Tourism as an Income Generator Course” was held from July 26th to August 12th, 2009 in Haifa, Israel.

RELEVANT TREATIES
  • Heads of Agreement – Trilateral agreement between Belize, Guatemala and the UK (1981) Español
  • Aycinena-Wyke (1859) Español
  • Dallas-Clarendon Treaty (1856) English
  • Clayton-Bulwer Treaty (1850) Español
  • Treaty of Amiens (1801) Español
  • London Convention (1786) Español
  • Paris Peace Treaty (1783) English
  • Treaty of Paris (1763) English
AGREEMENTS
  • Special Agreement to Submit Guatemala’s Territorial, Insular, and Maritime Claim to the International Court of Justice (December 2008) English | Español
  • Agreement on a Framework for Negotiations and Confidence-Building Measures (September 2005) English | Español
  • Agreement to Establish a Transition Process and Confidence Building Measures Between Belize and Guatemala (February 2003) English
  • Plan of Action to Implement the November 8, 2000 Agreement on Confidence-Building Measures (January 2001) English
  • Agreement on Confidence Building Measures between Belize and Guatemala (November 8, 2000) English | Español
OFFICIAL POSITIONS OF THE PARTIES
  • Letter from Guatemala to the OAS Secretary General (August 25th, 2003) Español
  • Belize refutes Guatemala's claim (May 2001) English
  • Guatemala’s response to Belize’s note of April 30th 2001 (May 15th 2001) Español
  • Belize’s response to Guatemala’s statement of March 30th 2001 (April 30th 2001) Español
  • Guatemala’s Territorial, Insular and Maritime Claim (March 30th 2001) Español
  • Note from Guatemala to the Government of Belize and Belize’s response (October 18th 1999) Español
PANEL OF FACILITATORS AND MEDIATORS
  • Proposals from the Facilitators (2002) English | Español
  • Recommendations of the Panel of Facilitators regarding an incident in the Adjacency Zone (2001) Español
  • Letter and recommendations of the Panel of Facilitators on the issue of settlements (2001) Español
  • Proposal to the United Kingdom and Guatemala by mediator Webster (1965) Español
GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTIONS PERMANENT COUNCIL RESOLUTIONS UNITED NATIONS RESOLUTIONS REPORTS
  • Report on the Situation of the Belize and Guatemala Territorial Dispute (January-October, 2011) English
  • Report on the Fund for Peace, pursuant to Resolution CP/RES. 781 (January 1st, 2009, to February 28, 2011) English
  • Report on the closing of the program Promoting a Culture of Peace (October 16th, 2009) English
  • Second Report on the program Promoting a Culture of Peace (August, 2009) English
  • First Report on the program Promoting a Culture of Peace (May 12th, 2009) English
  • Activity Report of the Office of the OAS General Secretariat in the Belize-Guatemala Adjacency Zone (2008) English
  • Report on the Project for Resettlement of the Santa Rosa Community (2008) English
  • Graphic Report on the Resettlement Project – The New Santa Rosa Community, Poptun ( April 21st 2008) English
  • Report on the Implementation of Confidence-Building Measures between Belize and Guatemala (2008) English
  • Evaluation on the Implementation of Confidence-Building Measures between Guatemala and Belize (2008) English
PUBLICATIONS
  • Report on the Resettlement Project - The New Santa Rosa Community, Poptun. Apri 21, 2008 English
  • Bulletin of Activities 2008: Office of the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States (OAS) in the Adjacency Zone, Belize-Guatemala English
SPEECHES
  • Speech of Jose Miguel Insulza, Secretary General of the OAS at the Permanent Council of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Vienna, Austria (October 28th, 2010) English
  • Address to the Permanent Council Inter-American Democratic Charter, Washington, DC (May 6, 2010) English
  • Speech by the Secretary General of the OAS, Mr. José Miguel Insulza at the Inaugural Ceremony of the Thirty-Ninth Regular Session of the General Assembly. San Pedro Sula, Honduras (June 2, 2009) English
  • OAS Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza, at the Signing of the Special Agreement (December 8th, 2008) English
  • Speech of the Secretary General of the OAS, José Miguel Insulza at the Opening Session of the Thirty-Eighth Regular Session of the General Assembly, Medellín, Colombia (June 1, 2008) English
  • César Gaviria Trujillo, OAS Secretary General at the Closing Ceremony of the Facilitation Process between Belize and Guatemala (September 30th 2002) Español
  • Roberto Tovar Faja, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Costa Rica, representing the pro tempore presidency of the Central American Integration System (SICA) at the Closing Ceremony of the Facilitation Process between Belize and Guatemala (September 30th 2002) Español
  • Jorge Castañeda, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico at the Closing Ceremony of the Facilitation Process between Belize and Guatemala (September 30th 2002) Español
  • Guillermo Pérez Cadalzo Arias, Secretary of State of Honduras at the Closing Ceremony of the Facilitation Process between Belize and Guatemala (September 30th 2002) Español
  • Gabriel Orellana Rojas, Foreign Minister of Guatemala at the Closing Ceremony of the Facilitation Process between Belize and Guatemala (September 30th 2002) Español
  • Ulrik Federspiel, Permanent Observer to the OAS on behalf of the European Union at the Closing Ceremony of the Facilitation Process between Belize and Guatemala (September 30th 2002) English
  • Enrique Iglesias, President of the Inter-American Development Bank at the Closing Ceremony of the Facilitation Process between Belize and Guatemala (September 30th 2002) Español
  • Ambassador Eduardo Gutierrez, Permanent Observer of Spain to the OAS at the Closing Ceremony of the Facilitation Process between Belize and Guatemala (September 30th 2002) Español
  • Ambassador Humberto de la Calle, Colombia, representing the pro tempore presidency of the Andean Community of Nations at the Closing Ceremony of the Facilitation Process between Belize and Guatemala (September 30th 2002) Español
  • Denis MacShane, Parlamentary Under-Secretary of State of the United Kingdom at the Closing Ceremony of the Facilitation Process between Belize and Guatemala (September 30th 2002) English
  • Colin L. Powell, US Secretary of State at the Closing Ceremony of the Facilitation Process between Belize and Guatemala (September 30th 2002) English
  • María Eugenia Brizuela de Avila, Foreign Minister of El Salvador at the Closing Ceremony of the Facilitation Process between Belize and Guatemala (September 30th 2002) Español
  • Assad Shoman, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation of Belize at the Closing Ceremony of the Facilitation Process between Belize and Guatemala (September 30th 2002) English
  • Ambassador Paul Durand, Permanent Representative of Canada to the OAS at the Closing Ceremony of the Facilitation Process between Belize and Guatemala (September 30th 2002) English
  • Ambassador Odeen Ishmael of Guyana, representing the presidency pro tempore of CARICOM at the Closing Ceremony of the Facilitation Process between Belize and Guatemala (September 30th 2002) English
PRESS RELEASES
  • Consulta popular por diferendo de Belice será en octubre de 2013. Guatemala, (April 28, 2012) Only Available in SpanishEspañol
  • Ministros de Relaciones Exteriores de Guatemala y Belice acuerdan fecha para consultas populares (April 27, 2012)English
  • October 6, 2013 is Referendum Day in Belize and Guatemala (April 27, 2012)English
  • Habrá Consulta. Busca solucionar diferendo con Belice (April 27, 2012) Español
  • Ministers of Foreign Affairs of Belize and Guatemala Agree on Date for Simultaneous Referenda (April 27, 2012) English
  • Belize and Guatemala Foreign Ministers Meet with OAS Secretary General (November 28, 2011) English | Español
  • Peaceful Settlement of Territorial Disputes (June 2011) English
  • First Meeting of the High Level Working Group (March 9th 2010) English
  • New measures bringing closer Belize And Guatemala taken at the OAS (December 17th 2009) English
  • Culture of Peace Program (June 8th 2009) Español
  • Belize and Guatemala highlight the OAS Role in the Adjacency Zone and urge collaboration from donor countries (February 25th 2009) Español
  • Removal of Facilities in the Adjacency Zone (February 19th 2009) Español
  • Guatemala and Belize sign historic agreement on territorial differendum (December 8th 2008) English
  • Belize and Guatemala agree to OAS Secretary General’s proposal to begin negotiation process with maritime issues (February 10th 2006) English
  • Belize and Guatemala sign agreement on negotiation framework and confidence-building measures (September 7th 2005) English
  • Belize-Guatemala discussions continue (May 10th 2004) English
  • Foreign Ministers of Belize and Guatemala (May 3rd 2004) English | Español
  • Belize-Guatemala territorial differendum (August 29th 2003) English | Español
  • OAS Permanent Council renews support for peaceful settlement of Belize-Guatemala dispute (February 12th 2003) English | Español
  • Belize and Guatemala sign agreement at OAS (February 7th 2003) English | Español
  • Belize-Guatemala process (November 5th 2002) English | Español
  • Death of Guatemalan citizen not related to territorial differendum (October 11th 2002) English | Español
  • Proposals for resolving Belize-Guatemala territorial dispute win broad international support (October 1st 2002) English | Español
  • Belize-Guatemala facilitation process (September 30th 2002) English | Español
  • Belize-Guatemala territorial differendum: Secretary General presents completed proposals (September 17th 2002) English | Español
  • Belize-Guatemala facilitation process (August 30th 2002) English
  • Belize and Guatemala delegations meet (February 7th 2001) Español
  • Joint communiqué of Belize and Guatemala (August 31st 2000) Español
  • Panel of Facilitators installed (August 31st 2000) Español
  • Panel of Facilitators for Belize-Guatemala dispute to be installed at OAS (August 30th 2000) English | Español
  • Belize and Guatemala to sign agreement (July 20th 2000) English
NEWS CLIPPINGS
  • Promoting a Culture of Peace in the Adjacency Zone - The Reporter of Belize (October 25th 2009) English
  • Belize and Guatemala security forces discuss border crime - LoveFM (December 5th 2008) English
  • Belize and Guatemala to sign compromis in Washington next Monday – Amandala (December 3rd 2008) English
Photo Gallery

Belize and Guatemala Foreign Ministers Meet with OAS Secretary General
Washington, DC
April 27, 2012



Promotion of a Culture of Peace
June - December 2011



Belize and Guatemala Foreign Ministers Meet with OAS Secretary General
Washington, DC
November 28, 2011



Meeting of the Group of Friends of Belize and Guatemala
Washington, DC
May 5, 2011



First Meeting of the High Level Working Group between Belize and Guatemala
Belize City, Belize
March 9, 2010



Meeting between the Foreign Relations Ministers of Guatemala, Haroldo Rodas, Belize, Wilfred Elrington, and the Secretary General Insulza
Washington, DC
December 16, 2009



Technical Meeting between Belize and Guatemala
Hotel Casona del Lago, Santa Elena, Petén, Guatemala
December 8, 2009



Meeting of Group of Friends of Belize and Guatemala
February 25, 2009
Place: Washington, DC
Photos: Juan Manuel Herrera - OAS/OEA



Guatemala and Belize sign a Special Agreement to submit Guatemala’s Territorial, Insular and Maritime Claim to the International Court of Justice
December 8, 2008
Place: Washington, DC
Photos: Patricia Leiva - OAS
Website OEA: http://www.oas.org
Video Gallery
Culture of Peace Video

OAS Report Card Presented
Date: December 10, 2010

Music Workshop to Promote a Culture of Peace in the Belize-Guatemala Adjacency Zone
Date: October 16, 2009

The closing ceremony of the program to Promote Culture of Peace
Date: October 16, 2009

Signing of Special Agreement between Belize and Guatemala
Date: December 8, 2008 - 11:00 AM
Place: Hall of Heroes, OAS Building Washington, DC
Signing of the agreement through which Belize and Guatemala will formally accept the recommendation from the Secretary General José Miguel Insulza to submit the territorial differendum to the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands. (7'02'')

Press Conference: Belize and Guatemala ministers to meet at OAS
Date: February 10, 2006 - 12.10 PM
Place: Headquarters Washington DC
Remarks by OAS Secretary General, José Miguel Insulza, Ambassador Assad Shoman, Chief Negotiator with Ministerial Rank of Belize and Jorge Briz, Foreign Minister of Guatemala (14')
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