Ambassador Courtenay reports on Washington talks
He was the first member of Belize’s negotiating team to return home, so this afternoon it fell to Ambassador Eamon Courtenay to brief the press on details of what transpired earlier this week at the OAS. The picture he painted may be understandingly biased, but Courtenay’s observations put a human face on a process that has tended to be as formal as the suits worn by the participants. Led by chief negotiator Assad Shoman, the oral arguments for Belize in Washington were put forward by Courtenay, Fred Martinez, Janine Coye and British barrister Edward Fitzgerald. While Belize used its full two hours of allotted time, the Guatemalan side took less than forty-five minutes to make its initial case. While that led some observers to question Guatemala’s commitment to the process, Courtenay’s take was slightly more optimistic.
Eamon Courtenay, Negotiating Team Member
“I would say that it is obviously an extremely important matter for us, and it is a very emotional matter for them. I suspect that it is not an easy thing for any foreign minister in Guatemala to try to reach an agreement with Belize on this issue, unless there is some cession of land. Now we have said very clearly to the facilitators, in fact Ambassador Shoman ended his presentation by saying: let me start by telling you what cannot happen when you come up with the recommendations. The one thing you cannot recommend is any question of land being given up, so that that is not on the table. So we need to find a solution outside of that box. I would say that we have detected very noticeable, but very slight changes in positions by the Guatemalans of late. I would never say that there is a solution on the horizon, but the fact that they have changed positions on some things is cause for hope.”
That hope may have been bolstered by what Courtenay believes is the strong performance of the Belizean team in Washington.
Eamon Courtenay
“Members of our delegation were approached by different people, who indicated a certain level of despondency in the Guatemalan team. There were four Congress people there, there were two generals I am told. I do not believe they were happy with the performance that they saw. My personal, and I underline that, my personal view is that both in our presentation that we delivered at the end of April and our presentation to the facilitators was excellently prepared, well crafted, legally sound. And I suspect that the Guatemalans may take the view: we can’t respond to this legally. Why should be put forward a legal response in a forum that is not binding in their decision making? Why should we show our hand that we can’t defend our position? That is my personal impression and I guess that there is some credence to it from what I describe as the conciliatory tone and reasoned intervention from Villagran Kramer.”
While disputes around a negotiating table have a way of dragging on, Belize is faced with the very real problem of an aggressive neighbour and a long jungle covered border. According to Courtenay, the situation on the ground is a top priority and Belize is moving quickly to implement agreements made to reduce tensions on the frontier.
Eamon Courtenay
“One of the outstanding matters that we are very concerned that we have not been able to complete, is the question of the reference markers. You all will recall that aside from Aguas Turbias, Garbutt’s Falls, Gracias a Dios, there are about thirty odd reference markers in between those terminal points, which we have agreed that they should be identified, marked and cleared. We have not been able to implement that because of Guatemala. And we have been pressing facilitators to very hard, that we need to have that implemented, and I am sure that at the next ministerial that is going to be item one on the agenda. If we can get those reference markers cleared, and the terminal points cleared, then I would suspect that it is extremely unlikely that either Guatemalan or Belizean soldiers will be going across the border in error, because the reference markers will be there to guide them. I think it will reduce that possibility and so we are insistent that that element of the process that has been agreed must be implemented.”
The facilitators will present their non-binding recommendations before the end of July. In addition to Belize’s five presenters the negotiating team included Ambassadors Lisa Shoman, Moises Cal and Sal Figueroa along with CEO in the Foreign Ministry, David Gibson.
