Shoman also discussed the effect, if any, that the discovery of oil in commercial quantities is having, or will have, on the negotiations. He said that at this point and from his perspective, oil is not a factor.
Assad Shoman,
"It's a matter of opinion and people can feel that if Guatemala sees that if we have a lot oil they'll be more interested in grabbing land from us and so on but we certainly do not hold that position. We are saying in effect that is irrelevant to the negotiations and that is the position we will hold; that the territory we hold is ours as of right based on the history and on our occupation and on the law and has nothing to do with whatever resources one country or the other might have and we will certainly not allow that to become a part of the negotiations."
Led by an OAS expert on the law of the sea, technical teams from Belize and Guatemala will meet on the 20th April in Belize City. The product of that meeting will be taken to the next ministerial meeting on May 19th and 20th in Honduras.
