Belize delegation hits N.Y., D.C.

Belize is engaging in some aggressive diplomatic damage control in the wake of Guatemalan President Alfonso Portillo’s rejection of the O.A.S. facilitation process as a means of settling Guatemala’s claim to Belize. A delegation led by Ambassador Assad Shoman travelled to New York and Washington over the last two days to lobby officials at the U.N., O.A.S. and U.S. State Department, reiterating Belize’s continuing faith in the process of transition and confidence building measures outlined in the agreement of February seventh, 2003. According to a government press release, the delegation met with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, O.A.S. Secretary General Cesar Gaviria, Assistant Secretary General Luigi Enaudi, and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Roger Noriega. Joining Shoman was Belize’s Ambassador to the U.N. Stuart Leslie, Ambassador to Guatemala Fred Martinez and Special Envoy of the Leader of the Opposition, Diane Haylock. Last month Portillo announced that he would not put the proposals of facilitators Sir Shridath Ramphal and Paul Reichler to a public referendum, even though he had previously committed his government to the O.A.S. sponsored facilitation process.