UDP has problems with proposals
Anyone who’s ever been married knows that at some point the honeymoon must come to an end. That moment in the marital relationship between Government and Opposition arrived this morning when UDP Leader Dean Barrow, while admitting that his spouse was not a bad person, laid down a list of changes that would have to be made for the union to survive.
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
In front of a roomful of supporters, this morning Leader of the Opposition Dean Barrow officially responded to the proposals package designed to settle the Guatemalan claim to Belizean territory. Concentrating on the maritime and land issues, Barrow contends that Tuesday’s presentation was deliberately ambiguous.
Dean Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“People have a right to know that even if it is because those three point five square miles were wrongly considered as part of Belizean territory, we are in fact now losing them. I was very careful to say in the prepared statement that if this happens as a consequence of a proper demarcation, then so be it. Perhaps we can’t argue over that, but what I did not like was what I thought amounted to an effort to skirt the issue. Let it be put plainly before the Belizean people. And that is our position with respect to all the proposals, do not mince words, do not soft soap what is happening. In so far as the E.E.Z. is concerned, we are making a concession. A concession that is greater than what we would have been obliged to make in any mandatory delimitation under international law.”
“No matter how tightly you draw the language, we are human beings and the other side can always make some ridiculous claim as to interpretation. That is why we must have in place a mechanism for doing away with any such tactic on the part of the Guatemalans. And that is why we must have a mechanism involving the active participation of somebody with superior force to ensure that there can be no repetition of the Benque, or the Santa Rosa scenario.”
Within that context, the UDP outlined their provisos.
Dean Barrow
“The United Democratic Party votes no to the proposals unless and until the following conditions are met:
1. The crisis in Benque must be resolved and the Guatemalan citizens that have invaded Belizean territory removed from our country. (Applause)
2. Draft language for inclusion into any treaty of settlement, describing effective mechanisms for preventing and dealing quickly and successfully with Benque and Santa Rose typed incursions into Belize, must be approved by the Untied Democratic Party on behalf of the Belizean people. Such language must provide generally, as well, for the resolution of all disputes that might arise from competing interpretation of treaty provisions, or from any situation of conflict or potential conflict arising at sea or on land between Belize and Guatemala.
3. There must be an assurance and a commitment in writing that the OAS, or one or more of the major powers, will guarantee any treaty or treaties of settlement between Belize and Guatemala, including the enforcement mechanisms for conflict resolution and dispute settlement.
4. The traditional and exclusive fishing rights of Belizeans in our area of the proposed ecological park, must be maintained and guaranteed by the Government of Belize.
5. A commitment must be given and draft language reflecting it produced, that in any treaty of settlement, Guatemala will be required to drop forever any and all territorial claims to Belize; and that nothing, including allegations of non-fulfillment of any condition or provision in that treaty of settlement or any other treaty between Belize and Guatemala, can result in the revival of such claims.
6. A comprehensive Belize draft of the treaty or treaties to give effect to the proposals of the facilitators, as clarified to the satisfaction of the UDP, must be produced so as to assure that there is no slippage between what is contained in the proposals and what will ultimately be agreed with Guatemala.
7. Conditions one through six must be satisfied within thirty days of today’s date.”
And if their demands are not met?
Dean Barrow
“Then our conditional no is a complete no and we will campaign actively among the Belizean people for them to vote no in the referendum.” (Applause)
“What I have said reflects is not just the party’s position but my position. What I have said is something that I, together with a number of others, fought for last night so that I am entirely at one with my party in the position taken.”
And even though Barrow says the UDP will lend support to the proposals if the changes to the document are made, he does admit that how the matter of the public relations is handled on this issue will prove crucial to its success.
Dean Barrow
“While I think that with the safeguards we are insisting on people perhaps in the end can vote for these proposals, it really is not helpful for anyone to come here and in effect tell us, vote yes or else. I think that’s calculated to get the backs of the Belizean people up and that would be the surest guarantee of a no vote.”
Having set a deadline of thirty days, by the eighteenth of October we will know whether the Guatemala issue will once again be thrust into the arena of partisan politics. Reporting for News 5, I am Janelle Chanona.
Ambassador Fred Martinez, the opposition’s representative during the facilitation process, declined an interview with News 5 this morning, citing that his party has stated its position and any additional inquiries should be directed to the party leader.
