The report in the Prensa Libre says that the Vice Minister of Education has ordered that quote, "It is right that the territory of Belize is included in the map of the Republic of Guatemala, divided by a dotted line and a phrase: territorial dispute, insular and maritime unresolved," For context, a vice-minister is similar in rank to a Ministry's CEO in Belize. Her letter also raises concern that "they view with concern the fact that some media, print and television are using only a partial map of Guatemala"

Belize's Ambassador to Guatemala Fred Martinez told us today that it, quote, "surprised us tremendously." He called it "a retrogressive step" and "totally out of order." He stressed however that this is the recommendation of the Guatemalan ministry of education - and at this point it is not clear whether it is an official policy. Martinez says he will not be able to confirm until next whether it is or isn't policy.

Martinez added that the article says they are distributing the new maps including Belize to the schools for teaching aids which is bad enough - but not as bad as embedding in the school text-books - which is not being proposed at this time.

The background to this is that the Comision De Belize - though it has been disbanded - maintained that during the run-up to the referendum and a possible appearance before the ICJ Guatemala must maintain in all official documents that Belize is part of its territory - demarcated by a dotted line.