BELMOPAN, Belize, CMC – The Belize authorities says a Guatemalan gunboat had been escorted out of its territorial waters by the Belize Coast Guard after the occupants claimed that that they had been misplaced and didn’t realise that they had crossed into Belizean waters.
The incident is reported to have occurred earlier this week, and Overseas Affairs Minister Francis Fonseca acknowledged that the Belizean forces dealt with the scenario calmly and professionally, emphasizing that diplomacy stays the first line of protection.
“The individuals of Belize, in maybe probably the most democratic course of we have now accessible to us, our referendum decided a number of years in the past to pursue a peaceable decision on this differendum between Belize and Guatemala.
“So we’re pursuing that by the ICJ (Worldwide Court docket of Justice). The federal government of Belize has an obligation and an obligation. On the similar time, we pursue a peaceable decision of this case to guard the nationwide sovereignty of the territory of Belize, clearly,” he stated.
Fonseca acknowledged that the Belize Protection Drive and the Belize Coast Guard are on the market on daily basis finishing up their duties honorably, faithfully, and fearlessly.
He confirmed that the incident with the Guatemalan gunboat had occurred “just a few days in the past” and that the Coast Guard responded instantly when notified concerning the vessel’s presence.
“They adopted established protocol, they went as much as the vessel, knowledgeable the crew on board who they had been, they usually suggested them that they had been in Belizean waters. That they had a quick dialogue, a brief trade, and the Coast Guard then escorted the GAS vessel out of Belizean waters. So that’s what came about,” he stated.
Belize and Guatemala have had a long-running border dispute, with Guatemala claiming, in entire or partly, the territory of Belize. Guatemala and Britain negotiated the Wyke-Aycinena Treaty in 1859 concerning the disputed space. The treaty stipulated that Guatemala would acknowledge British sovereignty over the area, thereby establishing the modern-day boundary strains of Belize.
In the meantime, Fonseca has confirmed a gathering in Washington with Guatemala’s Overseas Minister, Carlos Ramiro Martinez.
“That was a bilateral assembly. We mentioned the ICJ course of and the challenges we proceed to face on the border within the Sarstoon. We additionally usually mentioned commerce, funding, and different alternatives. I believe that’s a really productive assembly,” Fonseca stated.
He stated that there was additionally a wider assembly between Belize and Guatemala underneath the auspices of the Group of American States (OAS).
“We had a gathering with the group of mates, the place Belize and Guatemala made statements to our group of mates, and we heard from them about their continued help for the method, the ICJ course of, in order that was excellent.
“All our group of mates had been there they usually reaffirmed their dedication to Belize and Guatemala by this course of so long as it takes, and supporting the work of the OAS. Had a productive assembly with the brand new Secretary Common of the OAS. We mentioned the continued work of the OAS within the adjacency zone. We additionally mentioned regional and hemispheric points, together with the scenario in Haiti. We talked about reform on the OAS and many alternative issued. That was an ideal assembly, I believe,” Fonseca added.
