7 News Belize

Saldivar: Border Solution Cannot Be Military
posted (April 7, 2016)
But are those types of interventions at the OAS, diplomatic protest notes and friendly military and ministerial visits actually making a difference? At the surface, it doesn't seem like they are because the border tensions are intensifying -. Well, Saldivar says that regardless of the border situation - the solution is diplomatic, not military.

Courtney Weatherburne
"Looking at all these incidents, Sergeant Richard Lambey, the SATIIM confrontation and as well as several confrontation between the Belize Territorial Volunteers and the Guatemalan Navy. What is being done to regulate these issues? Its increasingly alarming looking at these cases."

Hon. John Saldivar, Minister of National Security
"First of all, it is clear that there's a new position that is being adopted by the Guatemalan, either the government or the military or both. This is of recent, we have to take the necessary actions diplomatically and otherwise to make sure that our case is heard. There is certainly, as we continue to repeat, there is not a military solution to what is happening here. We've got to continue to plow away at the diplomatic solution and that's what we're doing in the strongest possible terms. We are trying to make sure that we maintain the support of all our brothers and sister nations that have previously supported our independence and our continued territorial integrity and sovereignty, using the diplomatic channels. I am hopeful that we'll be able to resolve this."

Courtney Weatherburne
"Sir, looking at the diplomatic channels, are they actually working the confidence building measures that are in the place? It doesn't seem like it's working. It's getting more and more aggressive. The confrontations are getting more and more aggressive, is there any particular or effective strategy in place to deal with these border issues?"

Hon. John Saldivar, Minister of National Security
"Well I wouldn't say that the confidence building measures have not worked, they have worked on many occasions and except, like I said, for the recent upbeat in the Guatemalan approach, especially in the Sarstoon. Otherwise from that the confidence building measures have held, we are still at peace and we are not at war. To that extent, it is still working but they are hitches and we are trying to work out the hitches. Like I said, it has to be done diplomatically, it has to be done within the regional and international community mechanisms that are available."

Courtney Weatherburne
"Why do you say we are at peace and not at war? Some people might say, especially the BDF soldiers and the people living in those nearby communities, they feel that they're at war and they are threatened. How would you respond to that? That we are not at peace at all?"

Hon. John Saldivar, Minister of National Security
"Well I would have to refer to the incident especially involving the sergeant, as violence. Its violence perpetrated by persons coming over the border to perpetrate this violence on our soldiers. It certainly cannot be termed as war."

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