And the Minister of Foreign Affairs agreed with the PM that Belizeans should be able to move freely in the Sarstoon. However, he expressed his own issues with the GAF's heightened hostilities and says he's been working around the clock to ensure that it does not escalate further.
Eamon Courtenay, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"The position is that Belizeans are entitled to traverse any part of Belize. That's the first point and so the fact that people want to go into the Sarstoon as long as they stay on the Belize side, that is their right."
"Secondly, I have expressed repeatedly, publicly and privately, our very serious concern about the posture that has been adopted by the Guatemalan Armed Forces. I think from the media reports you will have seen that they have become more aggressive. You will see that they have become - the tone in which they speak to Belizeans has been heightened. And we think that that is unnecessary and we think that that's an escalation intension. We have been working with diplomatic channels. I've spoken with the Secretary General of the OAS, I've spoken with the Foreign Minister of Guatemala, I've spoken with other friendly countries seeking to try to get the Guatemalans and the Belizean security forces to at least start communicating, to try to ensure that no incident occurs when Belizeans want to go into the Sarstoon."
"That process is unfolding. We are in constant contact with each other and I am hoping first of all that there is no incident. And secondly, that there will be respect for Belize's territorial integrity. That we will insist on."
