Guatemalan Foreign Minister Gert Rosenthal made a courtesy call on Prime Minister Said Musa on Monday. While the details of the meeting were not available yesterday, today we do know what was discussed. Prime Minister Said Musa today told us that while the visit was a courtesy for the new appointee, there was some business discussed.
Rt. Hon. Said Musa,
"It was a courtesy visit first of all. Mr. Gert Rosenthal, he was recently appointed the new Foreign Minister of Guatemala but Mr. Rosenthal is no stranger to us. He has had a very long checkered and distinguished career in the foreign service and we certainly knew him when he was, as recently the Ambassador of Guatemala at the United Nations, the Permanent Representative.
Since his recent appointment, he decided to come and pay us a visit and also to get an update from our perspective, from the Belize perspective, as to where we are in the discussions between Belize and Guatemala with a view to move towards a resolution of this long standing differendum, this dispute. And certainly he came to, the message that I sensed he brought was that he is anxious for us to move ahead towards finding a resolution of this problem. It was a very positive message."
Alfonso Noble,
Did he at all pitch for Belize's support to Guatemala at the UN Security Council?
Rt. Hon. Said Musa,
"Interestingly enough no he did not. He did not even raise the subject. He knows our position and so out of diplomatic respect he didn't bring it up."
Rosenthal, well respected internationally, has been lobbying UN members for their support as Guatemala makes a bid for a rotating seat on the UN Security Council.
