The public hearings on Guatemala's Application for permission to intervene in the case concerning Sovereignty over the Sapodilla Cayes continued today at the Hague in the Netherlands.
Today, all sides made their second and final round of arguments on whether Guatemala should be granted permission to intervene in the case concerning Sovereignty over the Sapodilla Cayes between Belize and Honduras.
Belize's has supported their right to intervene while Honduras has not. Today, Belize's attorney Ben Juratowtich said that Guatemala did not establish a legitimate reason to intervene.
Ben Juratowich, Belize's Attorney
"The court has Belize's submissions on the full notes that Guatemala was able to mention on Monday, and this morning we heard no reply on those. We also, more importantly, heard nothing about any other document that Guatemala might have that it would wish to place before the court in this case to inform the court and protect Guatemala's interests."
"The court does not deal in generalities. It deals in facts and law. And Guatemala has not indicated, with even the bare minimum of specificity, any of either that it would contribute to the present case."
"The court was instead told this morning, as it was on Monday, that it is just obvious that Guatemala should be permitted to intervene because the three states claim the same territory. Guatemala was absolutely right that the present case does not change anything in respect of Guatemala's claim against Belize."
"And Guatemala confirmed this morning that it makes no claims of sovereignty against Honduras. That rather leaves one wondering why exactly Guatemala wishes to intervene in this case and what exactly it would do in concrete terms if it were permitted to do so."
"Guatemala has not answered those questions with any degree of specificity. Guatemala has the burden of satisfying the court that the court should permit its application. Having listened to Guatemala over the course of this hearing, it is not at all obvious that Guatemala has satisfied that burden."
The oral proceedings have now ended and the court has now retired for deliberations.
