Will Weekend Aggression Take Center Stage at O.A.S. Meeting in Washington?

But with all that said, PM Barrow is adamant that there must be a resort to democracy to resolve this issue, since war is unthinkable and cannot be contemplated. And that’s where a planned ministerial mission headed to Washington comes in. The group, led by Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington was set to meet with their Guatemalan counterparts over the continued funding of the O.A.S. at the Adjacency Zone. The delegation also includes former Foreign Minister Assad Shoman, after about a year that the P.U.P. had not been invited to meetings with Guatemala. Certainly, the weekend aggression by Guatemala takes precedence and it is hoped that it will be given prominence in any discussion on Tuesday.

Dean Barrow

Prime Minister Dean Barrow

“You know that tomorrow morning there is a meeting in Washington. The last formal position that we knew of, with respect to the Guatemalan delegation, was that they are not going there to talk about the Sarstoon; they are going there to talk about funding for the adjacency zone and other matters. It is our position that we must talk about the Sarstoon. I am hoping that things having gone as far as they did on Saturday, will oblige a realization on the part of the Guatemalan delegation that indeed the Sarstoon must be discussed. It would be unrealistic to think that even if that happens, any protocol can be agreed during the Washington meeting. All we want is a commitment for there to be a specific discussion going forward about the Sarstoon and only the Sarstoon so that we can come to some sort of resolution. If tomorrow the Guatemalan delegation still insists that they will not talk about the Sarstoon, then I will see it to get in touch with their president formally and directly—that would be the next step—to say to him that there absolutely, if we both are going to insist that we believe in pace, if we both as members of the international community subscribe to the notion that you settle disputes peaceful that there must be a conversation about the Sarstoon.”