MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

UK welcomes Guatemala/Belize’s efforts to find legal solution to territorial dispute

FCO Minister Browne: the resolution is a UK long term priority

Britain welcomed Guatemala and Belize's agreement to hold simultaneous referenda on referring their territorial dispute to the International Court of Justice. The territorial dispute of the Central American neighbors is centered on Guatemala claims since 1940 of most of Belize.

However the roots of the dispute go back several centuries when the whole region was under dominance of the Spanish colonial empire and the territory of Belize was partly occupied by the British.

In this last chapter of the dispute both sides have agreed to refer the issue to the International Court of Justice, based on referenda to be held in both countries.

“I welcome the agreement, announced last Friday by the Foreign Ministers of Belize and Guatemala, to hold referenda on 6 October 2013 on the question of referring the Guatemala-Belize territorial dispute to the International Court of Justice (ICJ). The UK supports the ICJ route as a means to finding a long-term and sustainable resolution which is acceptable to both states”, said Foreign Office minister for Latin America, Jeremy Browne.

“The resolution of the territorial dispute continues to be a long-term priority for the UK. Our funding for the Organisation of American States (OAS) office in the Adjacency Zone, and our contributions to the legal fees fund to assist both countries during the ICJ process, confirm our long-standing support. This agreement is an important step towards increasing stability, development and trade in the region”, concluded Browne.