U.D.P. may withdraw support of proposals
Failure to quickly clear up some of the finer points of the proposals to end the Guatemalan claim is threatening to scuttle the plan’s bipartisan support. On Thursday, the thirty-day deadline for the United Democratic Party’s conditional endorsement of the proposals expired and this morning, the U.D.P. issued a statement to the press expressing concern over a lack of communication from the government regarding their list of demands. Party Leader Dean Barrow says even though Foreign Minister Assad Shoman attempted to contact him on Tuesday before leaving the country, the parties failed to connect and now the U.D.P. has no choice but to review its position on the issue.
Dean Barrow, Leader of the Opposition
“When I had earlier received the assurances from Minister Shoman that the conditions would be met, and some people said I was perhaps even premature in saying that, well in light of that the way had been paved for the U.D.P. to say yes. But I clearly wanted that to be the position and therefore, speaking even for myself, I am disappointed and worried that now the thirty days have elapsed and we are not sure where we are.”
Janelle Chanona
“Is the United Democratic Party prepared for the ramifications the party would face if this thing becomes a partisan issue?”
Dean Barrow
“I think we are entirely determined to face up to whatever consequences there are. But we don’t think the consequences will necessarily be adverse because we are confident that we will be able to say to the people convincingly, look the U.D.P. acted throughout in accordance with what it thought was in the best interest of the country. These conditions are in fact very, very important if we are to feel secure in voting yes for the proposals. And absent these conditions, we cannot feel secure in voting yes for the proposals, so we would have to say no. But it has nothing to do with trying to engineer any kind of political gain.”
“We consider the conditions critical, not from the point of view of the ego of the U.D.P., but because we think the conditions are essential to safeguard the national interests. Where we are now, is that as a party we clearly are still hopeful that the conditions will still be met.”
The condition said to be causing the biggest problem, is the failure to resolve the border incursion at Suchitan. After sending two different representatives to the area just outside of Melchor de Mencos, the O.A.S. facilitators have yet to offer a conclusion or recommend a course of action. According to Barrow, a National Party Council meeting will be called within the next two weeks. Foreign Minister Assad Shoman returns to Belize on Wednesday.
