Foreign minister returns from meeting with Guatemalan at O.A.S.

Wilfred Elrington

As we reported on Wednesday, Belize and Guatemala have been meeting with the O.A.S. in Washington. Foreign Affairs Minister Wilfred Elrington, along with a delegation of government officials, returned this morning, following a round of discussions with Guatemalan Foreign Affairs Minister Fernando Carrera and O.A.S. Secretary General Miguel Angel Insulza. The purpose of the meeting was for all parties to commit to holding a referendum on elevating the territorial dispute to the International Court of Justice in 2014.  While a precise date has not yet been set for the joint referenda, another meeting is scheduled for June in Guatemala to iron out the specifics of the future exercise.  Postponing the referenda, according to Elrington, does not contravene the Special Agreement signed between both countries in 2008.

Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs

“I think it is fair to describe as a work in progress.  We had, what I think, was a very constructive and cordial meeting and we have agreed to continue to work on a new date for holding the joint referendum.  The Guatemalans officially informed the Secretary General of the OAS that it will not be possible for them to do it on the sixth [of October] as we had agreed in the Special Agreement.  But we were encouraged to continue to see whether we can, in fact, find a new date quickly for the holding of this referendum and so we have come back to report to the Prime Minister, the Cabinet, the Leader of the Opposition and the opposition party and then we will take, hopefully, a joint position which is going to be announced, hopefully, jointly by the opposition and government as to the way forward.”

Isani Cayetano

“Do we continue with the education campaign to raise awareness on the issue of the referendum and what it means to Belize or does it remain on hold until a date has been set?”

Wilfred Elrington

“I think we will confirm that but my own sense now is that it is going to continue in pretty much the same format it is in until after the June meeting then, if there is going to be a change we will know it after that meeting.  But under present circumstances I think it is fair to say that it should continue in pretty much the same vain in which it has been done over the last few months.”

Isani Cayetano

“In terms of what appears to be negative propaganda that Guatemala has been putting out there with regards to including Belize as part of its territory in its passport and other official documents, what becomes of that now in light of the fact that we are looking towards a new date to hold the referendum?”

Wilfred Elrington

“Much of that was as what you have described it to be, negative propaganda.  There was really no truth in it.  We didn’t find any truth in it, only the foreign minister has been at pains to assure us that in fact the information regarding the passport was wrong.  The information with respect to what was supposed to be taught in the schools in relation to the map was also wrong and that they would not be doing anything that is offensive to Belize.  Certainly they will not be doing or causing any such thing to be done at the meeting of the OAS which we are going to have shortly in Guatemala and that issue of the passport was not correct and neither was the issue of the instruction to the schools.  So it was all negative propaganda.  I imagine that there are those who have an interest in wanting to derail the process and spewing out these false information but that is essentially what it is as far as we can gather.”