Belize, Guatemala meet at O.A.S.

A late evening release from the Organization of American States indicates that progress is being made in the normalization of relations between Belize and Guatemala. According to the communiqué, acting C.E.O. in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Lawrence Sylvestre–mistakenly referred to as Vice Minister–met with Guatemalan Vice Minister Gabriel Augilera on Monday in Washington along with O.A.S. Assistant Secretary General Luigi Enaudi. The three reviewed the implementation of confidence building measures as agreed in February 2003 and found that the majority of the measures are being successfully applied and those in the minority will be dealt with in the near future. While the release does not go into specifics, it is believed that the encroachment of a Guatemalan housing project onto Belizean territory near Benque Viejo is one of those matters not yet successfully addressed. On Monday afternoon O.A.S. Secretary General Cesar Gaviria chaired the first meeting of the Group of Friends of Belize and Guatemala. This body of nations advises Gaviria on resolution of the Guatemalan claim and some of the countries contribute toward the expenses of the settlement process. The group is comprised of Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Ecuador, El Salvador, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Spain, Sweden, The United Kingdom, United States and Japan, which participated as an observer.