Talks with Guatemala prepare for future

Relations between Belize and Guatemala, which reached a low point with the kidnapping of four Belizean law enforcement officers in February, may soon be getting back on track. Representatives of the two governments met Monday and Tuesday in Washington to set an agenda for a ministerial level meeting to be held in July. At that meeting each country will have a facilitator on hand, someone who will offer friendly council in an effort to advance the process of negotiation. While Guatemala has yet to name its facilitator, Belize has selected Sir Shridath Ramphal, the former Secretary General of the Commonwealth. OAS Secretary General Cesar Gaviria will also serve as a facilitator endorsed by both parties. Among other points agreed to for the July talks are the appointment of a joint commission to implement confidence building measures between the two nations, the invitation of other countries including the U.K., U.S.A., Canada and Spain to support the effort, and the examination of Belize’s efforts to pursue increased integration with Central America. At this week’s talks it was also agreed to resume military to military contacts, with a high level meeting to be convened before the end of the month. At the same time the human right’s organization of both countries will seek to implement measures to ease tension among the population living along sides of the border. Leading the Belize delegation in Washington was Foreign Secretary David Gibson while Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Rafael Salazar headed the team for Guatemala.