Mexico and Belize reinforce ties
Many Government employees may have been on strike today but that did not mean that the nation’s official business was abandoned. Today the fifth meeting of the Belize-Mexico Bilateral Commission was concluded as the results of the friendly negotiations were presented to the foreign ministers of the two countries. Among the agreements signed were those to upgrade Corozal’s Escuela Mexico to the Junior College level and construction of a new bridge over the Rio Hondo. Work on the ten million US dollar bridge, to be located some five hundred yards upstream of the present structure, will begin in September. Cost of the project will be paid by Mexico, with Belize responsible only for the access roads within our territory. This afternoon Foreign Ministers Godfrey Smith and Luis Derbez both expressed satisfaction at the state of relations between the two countries.
Godfrey Smith, Minister of Foreign Affairs
?We may not meet as often as we should but when we meet, as you have seen, it produces tremendous benefits and results for both countries. I believe quite sincerely that the relationship between Belize and Mexico is a good model for the rest of the world. It shows a relationship between a big country and a small country. Mexico is many times bigger than Belize, not only in terms of its economy but its population as well and capacity. But not withstanding that discrepancy we are able to enjoy good relations.?
Luis Derbez, Mexican Foreign Minister
?Belize has demonstrated to Mexico in this particular meeting the kind of friendship, the kind of solidarity and in particular what we had gotten is the hospitality of the Belizean nation as well as their people. And these come from the roots that we all share. These are great roots that are shared by Mexico and Belize and other countries in this region that makes Mesoamerica, the one region that really has cultural ties and the common history and that from the standpoint of the two nations that we are talking about right now simply the kind of friendship that we have started ever since Mexico became the first nation recognise Belize when it became independent in 1981.?
