Foreign Office Minister referenda on the Guatemala-Belize territorial dispute
Minister for Latin America Jeremy Browne has welcomed Guatemala and Belize's agreement to hold simultaneous referenda on referring their territorial dispute to the International Court of Justice.
He said:
“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.
“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.”