ACP Countries Commend Belize for Going to the I.C.J.

On Thursday in Belgium, during the one hundred and ninth session of the African, Caribbean and Pacific Council of Ministers, a resolution was adopted that reasserts the firm commitment of the seventy-nine member states to the territorial integrity, sovereignty and security of Belize in the context of Guatemala’s claim.  The ACP ministers commended Belize for successfully conducting its national referendum and welcomed the decision of Belizeans to seek peaceful recourse to the territorial dispute by submitting the claim to the I.C.J. for final resolution.

Isani Cayetano

“The ACP countries have also come out to commend Belize and, by extension, the Government of Belize for the position that it has been taken to go forward with this issue before the world court.  Speak to us on that.”

Michael Peyrefitte

Michael Peyrefitte, Attorney General

“Well I mean, it has always been the more responsible position.  The best way for this matter to be solved is by going to the I.C.J.  There was not going to be a negotiated settlement.  Guatemala was not going to give an inch and we were not going to give an inch.  War is never the best option at all so the only other option we had was to go to the court and I think that our African, Caribbean and Pacific brothers and sisters are glad that we decided as a nation to go to court because that we believe is the best possible route and given the case that we have, should have been the only route considered to resolving this unfounded claim.”