As we told you last night - Belize's Ambassador to the US and Permanent Representative to the OAS, Ambassador Nestor Mendez is the new Assistant Secretary General of the OAs. IT's a huge upgrade for him as he now becomes an international figure for the 34 member regional body. He told us yesterday that it is a triumph for Belize's pragmatic approach to diplomacy:..
H.E. Nestor Mendez, Assistant Secretary General (Designate) - OAS
"I am very pleased at the response to a Belizean candidate. It underscores where Belize stands in the inter-American system. It means, we are an accepted player, both Caricom and Central America. Between those two regions, it amounts to 21 member state in the OAS of 34. We are also very constructive. We are moderate and pragmatic in our diplomacy."
And while Belize's solid diplomatic track record earned Mendez that distinction - as Assistant Secretary General - he now has to take a back seat on the Belize Guatemala dispute and the OAS's role in it. The AOS is overseeing the confidence building process and Mendez says his office well have to be removed from that completely:..
H.E. Nestor Mendez, Assistant Secretary General (Designate) - OAS
"The confidence building measures which the OAS has helped to facilitate with the Guatemalans, is handled under the good offices component of the office of the Secretary General - the head of the OAS. And the Assistant Secretary General, has not traditionally been involved. It will now be even more unlikely that that office would be involved, given that I am a Belizean and I think it would be a conflict of interest and I don't think it would be proper."
Mendez assumes office in August.
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