7 News Belize

BELIZE/MEXICO MEET...
posted (October 3, 2014)
Earlier in the news, we told you about the rising tensions between Belize and Guatemala. Today, however, Mexico, the neighbors to the north, worked to strengthen their friendship with Belize.

That came with a summit called the Belize-Mexico Bi National Commission, the 8th in the series, since 1981, when Belize got its Independence, and today, the Foreign Ministers of both countries told the press about it:

Jose Antonio Meade - Mexican Foreign Secretary
"We will start to work in this bi-national, but will continue to do so and is to establish a legal framework that will allow for more investment of Mexico in Belize. Cooperation in terms of health which is very important regionally, which is a characteristic that Mexico and Belize want to strengthen."

Hon. Wilfred Elrington, Minister of Foreign Affairs
"For tourism for example, we enter into legal arrangements for them so that their tourism operators will be able to work with our tourism operators here to have tourists come from Belize to Mexico and from Mexico to Belize. They will be able to obtain technical and other assistance from each other to develop the tourism industry. They will be able to provide training programs for our people - take our people into their universities and their institutions training institutes. They will now be in a position to pass onto Belize all the skills, all the expertise that they have dealing with tourism to us in Belize. They have formal agreement with the military, so that we will be able to work with the military both the navy and army in terms of training; in terms of assistance for equipment and man power; in terms of joint operations together; in terms of emergencies. There is also a provision to work out where the Mexican military vessels, the ships will be able to pass through Belize territorial waters and ours will be able to go through the Mexican territorial waters as well."

Today, the Foreign Ministers from Mexico and Belize signed the following agreements:

A Memorandum of understanding in tourism cooperation; Letter of intent between Mexico and Belize to improve the security and cooperation programs at the maritime borders; and Memorandum of understanding to strengthen the Belize-Mexico High Level Border Security Group.

Among the main actions that were announced at the end of the Meeting, the following were highlighted: Creation of a Political and Multilateral Consultation Mechanism, through which both countries strengthen bilateral dialogue; The organization of a regional reflection forum on the Central American integration process; and Strengthening regional integration of the Southeastern Region of Mexico with Belize; Progress in cooperation on water and sanitation.

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7 News Belize