Guat. talks make progress toward interim accord

A release from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs indicates that progress is being made to salvage some momentum on stalled efforts to end the Guatemalan claim to Belize. The word from a meeting held Tuesday and Wednesday in Washington is that work is proceeding on a draft agreement that will establish a process of transition that will lead to a simultaneous referendum in each country on the Ramphal-Reichler proposals. The draft agreement includes a comprehensive set of confidence building measures as well as a clarification of the role of the O.A.S. and the “Group of Friends”, which includes nations like the U.S., U.K. and other regional powers. Agreement was also reached on the establishment of an O.A.S. office in the so called adjacency zone which extends one kilometre on each side of the border. Another ministerial level meeting will be held on January seventeenth with the intention to approve a final document. For this week’s meetings the Belize delegation was headed by Attorney General Godfrey Smith and Ambassador Fred Martinez, and included Ambassadors Eamon Courtenay, Lisa Shoman and Alexis Rosado as well as B.D.F. Commandant General Cedric Borland. The Guatemalan side was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Ramiro Ordonez. Assistant Secretary General Luigi Enaudi represented the O.A.S.