Foreign Minister Elrington on I.C.J. Application

On Wednesday, the International Court of Justice issued a release in which it essentially acknowledges receipt of Belize’s application to have its territorial dispute with Guatemala resolved in that jurisdiction.  A timeline has been established during which both countries must submit their arguments, but the formal step to get the ball rolling after the I.C.J. referendum in May was taken by Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington last Friday.  Earlier today, he explained his role in the submission process.

Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington

Wilfred ‘Sedi’ Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs

“What I can tell you is that I did sign the notification that has to be sent to the I.C.J. detailing what transpired on the day of the referendum, the successful completion and the like and that was submitted to them by Ambassador Dylan Vernon, I think by seven a.m. Belize time on the seventh of June.  So that document has successfully been deposited with the registrar of the court and I imagine in due time we will get more information as to how that is developing.  I can tell you that the persons who will be interfacing with us directly, a little committee that the prime minister has formed, is Mr. Assad Shoman who is the agent and Alexis Rosado, the co-agent.  So they will be interfacing with the court.  They will be interfacing with our team of lawyers.  They will report back to us here and then we will be in a position to disseminate whatever information they tell us to the public.”