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Baroness Scotland Met With PM About Commonwealth's Standing Ministerial Committee on Belize
Fri, April 29, 2016

And as we told you last night, the newly elected Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Baroness Patricia Scotland, is in country. It’s her first stop on a tour of the Commonwealth Caribbean. She’s had a very busy itinerary of activities while in Belize, headlined by a meeting with Prime Minister Dean Barrow. 

Apart from exchanging courtesies, the Prime Minister used the visit to advance Belize’s cause. The PM wants Scotland to convene a meeting of the Commonwealth's Standing Ministerial Committee on Belize. 

About 2 and a half hours ago, the Secretary General fit a quick press briefing into her schedule, and she discussed a bit of today’s conversation with PM. Here’s what she had to say:

Baroness Patricia Scotland - Secretary General, Commonwealth
"I have had a long and in-depth very fruitful conversation with the Prime Minister. I am going to relay what is happening here in Belize to the other members of the Commonwealth. As you know there is a committee which has been created to deal particularly with this matter between Belize and Guatemala and there is an opportunity to call a committee meeting before September and I have indicated to the Prime Minister that I am willing to do that, particularly as a result of the details that I have now been able to call from this visit but also from what I've seen for myself. And so when I go back, I will be asking the committee to reform."

"I had the opportunity to go to the border, I also had the opportunity to speak to OAS who described the peace building work that they have been undertaking particularly with children on both sides of the border and that gave me huge hope because it looks as if the young people of Belize and the young people of Guatemala are working really happily together. So that work that the OAS is doing is very important work. I also understand the tension and the worry and the anxiety that is now starting to arise as a result of recent incidents. And it's clear the integrity and sovereignty of Belize is something which must be upheld; you know that the ACP has just made a very clear declaration in relation of their position and the Commonwealth's position on the integrity and the sovereignty of Belize remains absolutely unchanged. These issues are always complex but I really commend the way in which Belize is responding right now. Belize has held fast to the agreement that was made and is trying to do all it can to de-escalate the tensions with their neighbours. One of the things we all know is that Guatemala will remain Belize's neighbour now and in the future so the sooner we can resolve these tensions the better. The 1859 line is a line that has been maintained and will be maintained going forward."

Later on in the news, we’ll have a bit more from that press briefing in which she discussed Belize’s key role in the Commonwealth.

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