Last week you heard the PM's address to the UN where he made a strong statement on Guatemalan provocation on the Sarstoon. Well, Guatemala had a right of reply some hours later and here's what they said:
Representative of Guatemala
"The delegation of Guatemala is using its right of reply in reference to the statement made by the Prime Minister John Briceno at the general debate this morning based on the following."
"Guatemala is a country that is committed to the principles of the United Nations Charter. We respect international law and the peaceful settlement of disputes. In this regard, we submitted our island and maritime territorial claims to Belize before the International Court of Justice and we reiterate what the President of the Republic of Guatemala said on Wednesday 23rd of September 2025 in this very room and I quote, "the future resolution ruling of the International Court of Justice will put an end to the territorial island and maritime dispute with Belize. Given that the written submissions have already been finished and we're waiting for the oral hearings next year and awaiting future ruling, we are at an historic opportunity to open a new stage of relationship between both countries.
Resolving this dispute peacefully is an example of how even the most complex disputes can lead to peace and cooperation. Guatemala reiterates its commitment to strengthening our bilateral relations with Belize on the basis of mutual respect, peaceful cooperation and the observance of international law." End of quotation.
As we have stated on multiple occasions, including here, we are committed to obeying the court's ruling. When it comes to the incidents mentioned by Belize, these unfortunately took place in both countries.
Immediate actions were taken, and even a meeting was organised between the ministries of defence of both countries this week and yesterday, a bilateral meeting took place between President Arevalo and Prime Minister Briceno.
That's why we are surprised about the content of the Belize Prime Minister's speech. We're also concerned that there is an imprecise version being spread of what happened both in the domestic and international media, as well as in international forum such as the United Nations, Caricom and the Commonwealth, which does not contribute to strengthening mutual trust and confidence, nor does it foster the environment required for a peaceful settlement of the disputes.
Thank you.
