Belmopan- 28th, 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