Belize hosts 1-day C.A. Summit
They had barely unpacked their bags following a summit in Taiwan, but today the leaders of Central America once again sat down together, this time in Belize, in an effort to attack some major problems that transcend geography and nationality.
Janelle Chanona, Reporting
This morning, heads of government and foreign ministers representing the seven countries of the Central American Integration System (SICA), met for an extraordinary summit in Belize City.
The current chair of the organization is Belize’s Prime Minister, Said Musa. In his opening address, Musa focused on crime and security issues affecting the region.
Prime Minister Said Musa
“Central American societies are under more immediate threat of destabilization from a combination of these factors, than from any conventional or guerrilla warfare in our region. The increase in violent crimes that we are witnessing in all of our countries is directly linked to these new security threats. In particular, the illicit trafficking in drugs and arms flowing across our borders are probably the biggest contributors to violent crimes in Belize, and our region.”
The government leaders have agreed to several initiatives in order to promote what they term the promotion of peace, stability and the improvement of life in the region. To this end, this afternoon they signed two documents: a joint declaration and a joint communiqué.
In the joint declaration the leaders have agreed to work on a program to control and limit weapons, curb organised crime and implement a plan of action against such programs in a timely manner.
Of importance in the joint communiqué was the acceptance of the Dominican Republic as an associate member of the SICA with an invitation to the President of that country to participate in next meeting
Also of relevance of was a mandate for political dialogue between Central America and the European Union. This issue is to be considered a priority for the Council of Foreign Affairs Ministers in an effort to negotiate for a Free Trade Agreement for between the region and Europe.
But today the key issue for Belize was Guatemala’s explanation of its rejection to proposals to end that country’s claim to Belizean territory.
Alfonso Portillo, Guatemalan President
“We have studied the proposals of the negotiators for nearly a year and the legal analysis did not meet the expectations of Guatemala. Yet, the reality and the good will of the relations between Belize and Guatemala allow us to have a very fluent communication, very open communication and thinking on the future of relations between Belize and Guatemala.
In the meeting that we had with our friend Belize, we have established first of all, to continue with the measures of trust and to take specific measures that benefit both countries and that can be beneficial for our inhabitants. We have talked about the establishment of a free trade zone; we have talked also about expanding for the time for the opening of the borders where we have immigration posts; and we have also established that for some while now we have been talking with the Minister of Belize to take measures that there is a will to work together and that we have a great potential to solve the problems.
In the future, we will continue to discuss this in the O.A.S., but the most important thing is that there is no potential conflict and that there is a goodwill and a good relationship to find a peaceful, legal and negotiated solution to this conflict.”
Janelle Chanona
“Yesterday, your foreign minister told media here that your government rejected the Ramphal-Reichler proposals because there were fundamental flaws. Wasn’t that, you knew that was happening from the beginning, so why won’t we think that the renege on this settlement proposal was politics given that general elections are coming up in November for your country.”
Alfonso Portillo
“Your question, in the first place, all things that state do have political reason. All that we do have political reason, nothing that we do is out of politics. However, in this case it has nothing to do with the electoral process, it’s simply many of the statements clashes or is in contradiction of our constitution. But we are convinced that a statement of this nature presented through people’s consultation will fail in Guatemala.”
“As a politician we always have to have the hope that it will have success in the future. If you don’t have that hope, you have lost everything. Secondly, the proposals from the negotiators is a proposals that does not a binding character that’s why we haven’t solved the issue.”
But the reality is that this issue continues to cloud the atmosphere between Belmopan and Guatemala City. For his part, Prime Minister Said Musa says Belize will continue to put its faith in the resources of the Organization of American States to settle this issue.
Prime Minister Said Musa
“SICA serves simply as a forum for us to meet at the political level. The real auspices of this matter will continue to fall under the Organization of the American States. As far as Belize is concerned, this issue of the proposals from the facilitators is no longer just a matter between Belize and Guatemala. It has the sanction and the blessings of the Organization of American States. We intend to keep it there and we believe that in time, and especially in light of matters you mentioned a while ago, the process will be able to move forward again.”
A new Guatemalan President will be elected in November for a single four year term that begins in January, 2004.
