So, while the two countries wait for the litigation process to run its course, they must continue to co-exist as neighbors. Today, the Prime Minister told his fellow parliamentarians that he has been urging his Guatemalan counterpart - without success - to negotiate some sort of protocol or confidence-building measures for the Sarstoon River.
Here's that part of his report in today's House Meeting:
Hon. John Briceno - Prime Minister
"In the meantime, Madam Speaker, we continue to appeal to Guatemala to adhere to the confidence-building measures in place since 2005, which require, for example, our governments, both governments, to cooperate in clearing the areas are only tree reference markers and Gracias A Dios, Garbutt's Falls, and Aguas Turbias. The Guatemalan government also undertook to dissuade its citizens from crossing illegally into Belize. But, we continue to have problems with Guatemalans occupying areas of Belize near the western border. Narco-trafficking continues to pose a security problem, while illegal logging, farming, poaching, and mining continue to cause significant damage to our environment and the well being. Similarly, the Guatemalan government has refused to abide by its oft-repeated commitment to negotiate confidence-building measures regarding the Sarstoon River, in defiance of appeals by international bodies. Again, we urge the government of Guatemala to put into effect its undertaking to agree on CBS for this has to end. When I met with President Giamatti last June, we agreed to expand cooperation between the two countries in several areas including trade, investment, protection of the environment, security, and other important areas that can be of mutual benefit to our people."
