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Belmopan
- 25 July, 2005.
Delegations
from Belize and Guatemala, headed by Assad Shoman, Chief
Negotiator with Ministerial Rank of Belize and Jorge Briz
Abularach, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Guatemala, in
the presence of Raoúl Lago, attending on behalf of
the Secretary General of the Organization of American States,
met on 25th July, 2005 in Antigua, Guatemala in a new era
of Belize-Guatemala relations.
The Ministers had a positive exchange of views on a number
of topics including a new Agreement on Confidence Building
Measures designed to enhance cooperation and foster good
neighbourliness and better understanding between the people
of both countries in the Adjacency Zone and on a Framework
Agreement for Negotiations to arrive at a solution to the
territorial differendum.
It was agreed that delegations from both countries would
work to finalise the text of the new Agreement on Confidence
Building Measures which is expected to be signed at the
Headquarters of the Organization of American States in Washington,
D.C. in early September of this year. The Ministers also
commended the work of the Organization of American States
Office in the Adjacency Zone and expressed interest in strengthening
that office.
Likewise, the Ministers agreed on a Framework Agreement
for Negotiations that would allow for the identification
of a mutual agreement on the relevant issues of fact and
law to achieve a definitive solution to the territorial
differendum between the two countries through the political
and juridical means established in International Law.
It was agreed that regular meetings would be held in Belize
and Guatemala under the auspices of the Organization of
American States.
The Ministers agreed to continue constructive and intense
dialogue to define and implement programmes and projects
that will directly benefit the people of both countries.
The Ministers also agreed to call a meeting of the Group
of Friends during the United Nations General Assembly in
September of this year to update these countries on the
state of negotiations and relations between both countries.
Antigua, Guatemala
25th July, 2005
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