Facilitators ask for more time in Bz./Guat. talks

The talks in D.C. are over, but the Belizean delegation will return home without recommendations to the resolution of the territorial claim. According to a government press release, this morning the facilitators, Sir Shridath Ramphal representing Belize and Paul Reichler for Guatemala, agreed to delay the presentation of the proposal package. Both men have asked for a thirty-day extension period in which the technical aspects of the suggestions will be completed and the recommendations finalised. In the interim, both Belize and Guatemala have agreed to extend the good faith agreement between the countries, which has not only served as a confidence building measure in the negotiation process, but also helped to maintain peace along the border. Leading the Belize delegation is Foreign Affairs Minister Assad Shoman, while Guatemala is represented by Foreign Affairs Minister Gabriel Orellana Rojas. In addition to the facilitators and the delegations from both countries, Secretary General of the Organisation of American States Cesar Gaviria, also participated in the discussions.