Regional leaders reiterate support for Guyana and Belize in border disputes

Source: CMC – Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries have reiterated their “firm and unswerving support for the maintenance and preservation of the sovereignty, and territorial integrity” of Guyana and Belize in their territorial disputes with Venezuela and Guatemala respectively.

The regional leaders during their one-day summit on Thursday said they had received updates on the developments surrounding the two CARICOM member countries.

In the case of Belize, the leaders noted the extension of the time limits for the submission of the Memorials and the Counter Memorials to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) by Belize and Guatemala, respectively.

They urged Belize, Guatemala and the Organization of American States (OAS) to continue implementing fully the Confidence Building Measures that have been in place since 2005, pending the resolution of Guatemala’s claim at the ICJ.

Heads of Government noted that the undertaking by both countries and the Organization of American States (OAS) to engage in the design and development of a mechanism of co-operation for the Sarstoon River is still outstanding, and called on both countries and the OAS to reinvigorate their efforts to this end.

“They also expressed support for the significant role of the OAS in the process aimed at resolving the dispute arising from Guatemala’s claims on Belize, and further called on the international community to continue supporting the OAS Office in the Adjacency Zone,” according to a communique issued Friday following the discussions. The communique added that the regional leaders had also “re-emphasised their steadfast support for the sovereignty, territorial integrity and security of Belize”.

The two countries have had a long standing border dispute and have voted in separate referendums to ask the ICJ in The Hague to make a decision on the dispute.