Latest agreement seeks to keep peace along border

Both CARICOM and the O.A.S. have pledged support for the continuing process toward a settlement of the Guatemalan claim… but somewhere along the line, we in the news media, have neglected to explain exactly what that process entails. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has provided us with a text of the agreement signed February seventh in Washington, D.C. and, while many of its provisions are familiar, it does significantly expand the role of the O.A.S.

In the first place, it recognises that the facilitation process ended on September thirtieth, shortly after the presentation of the final Ramphal-Reichler proposals.

It goes on to say that the failure to hold the simultaneous referenda in both countries was due to “practical difficulties”, but the parties have agreed to “preserve the proposals” until each state completes the “appropriate constitutional procedures.”

The rest of the agreement describes the transition process and confidence building measures that will manage relations in the two-kilometre wide adjacency zone until the simultaneous voting can be held.

The major elements of those measures include:

The setting up of an O.A.S. office in the adjacency zone to promote peace and monitor any incidents which may occur.

The establishment of a “Group of Friends”; that is O.A.S. member and observer countries interested in promoting the peace process and assisting it financially.

The freezing of any settlement in the adjacency zone as previously established.

The coordination of all military patrols in the zone, along with the notification of the O.A.S. of any such patrols.

And the establishment of mechanisms to generally promote cooperation between communities in and around the adjacency zone, fight criminal activity and foster commerce.

Two of the annexes to the agreement deal with guarantees of human rights in the zone as well as relocation of residents, when and if required. A formal role is established for the Procurador de Derechos Humanos in Guatemala and the office of the Ombudsman in Belize.

A third annex deals with public statements by the two parties and lays out guidelines that essentially require the governments of Belize and Guatemala to restrain themselves and avoid making accusations that could inflame passions in either country.

The agreement, signed by Foreign Ministers Assad Shoman and Edgar Gutierrez, is valid for a year and is subject to annual renewal until any solution to the claim is finally ratified by both countries.