Guatemalan President Extends Invitation to Meet PM Barrow

Shortly after he was sworn as president of Guatemala, Alejandro Giammattei announced his intention to meet with Prime Minister Dean Barrow to forge a more cordial relationship between with the two countries.  As you know, the territorial dispute is heading to the I.C.J. for resolution.  Giammattei said he has asked the O.A.S. to facilitate the encounter.  Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington told News Five that part of strengthening the bilateral relationship also includes trade and commerce between both countries.

Wilfred “Sedi” Elrington

Wilfred “Sedi” Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs

“It will be a meeting between our prime minister and the president.  I am sure he is disposed to that, Prime Minister Barrow is very disposed to that because that is the reason why we want to end the dispute so that we can get along and work with each other like normal presidents and prime ministers all over the world who meet in these summits. I heard him on the television saying that they want to enhance trade and investment with us, now that in fact the dispute is at the I.C.J.  We had already been advised long ago by our ambassador to Guatemala, Alexis Rosado, that Belize in terms of priority for Guatemala is very low.  They don‘t regard the Belize/Guatemala dispute as a matter of high priority at all, but what they regard as is very important in relation to Belize and Guatemala is the opportunity for trade and investment.  That is an absolutely good news for Belize.  It is consistent basically with what I have been hearing from former foreign and to hear the president articulate so clearly is an excellent, excellent news because the lifeblood of any nation is its ability to trade and to have the opportunity to trade with Guatemala that has millions of citizens and which we can access simply by crossing the border.”