A.C.S. foreign ministers meet in Belize

This week Belize will be hosting high level delegations from around the region. The occasion is the eighth regular meeting of the Ministerial Council of the Association of Caribbean States. The A.C.S., headquartered in Trinidad and Tobago, includes all the nations of CARICOM plus Cuba, the Dominican Republic and the mainland nations stretching from Mexico to Venezuela. Friday’s session for foreign ministers will be preceded by technical meetings which began today at the Princess Hotel in Belize City. Among the topics on the A.C.S. agenda are human security and development in the Caribbean Sea as well as movement of hazardous materials through the Panama Canal.

In other diplomatic news, the Republic of Honduras has upgraded the status of its representation here by appointing a resident ambassador. On Monday, His Excellency Jose Rigoberto Arriaga presented his credentials to the Governor General in Belmopan. He also met with Foreign Minister Assad Shoman, who expressed his gratitude for the conciliatory role played by Hondurans in efforts to end the Guatemalan claim to Belize. Until now, Honduras had been represented by a non-resident ambassador.

And while Honduras is increasing its presence in Belize, another Caribbean neighbour is closing up shop. The embassy of Colombia will be shut down before the end of the year, presumably for budgetary reasons. Relations between Colombia and Belize have been close for many years and are expected to remain that way despite the lack of a resident diplomat.