Earlier this week, Foreign Minister Elrington hosted a press conference to outline an 11 point proposal for a protocol which should de-escalate tensions in the Sarstoon River.
The Guatemalan Delegation which came down to the OAS Office In Beqnue Viejo to meet with their Belizean counterparts has since delivered that proposal to their government for consideration. The hope is that a response would be forthcoming today, which is the end of the week. Well, according to Shoman, he and Foreign Minister Elrington are still waiting and that response hasn't come as yet:
Ambassador Assad Shoman - Opposition representative
"I was there when and I stopped play the most offended proposals that you gave the Guatemalans last Friday. Well we said this is how we should behave in dealing with the river based on 1859 the treaty, which I want you all to read just like how you read article 7, you read article 6 it talks about the river. We put forward our proposal. We, the Belize side it started over, with the minister and then others came in, you and others added to it but I agree with what you put and we asked the Guatemalans to respond within a certain time. We said within a week. Well guess what today it makes 1 week and they haven't responded. Now the minister and I have different views. The minister feels and if I'm misspeaking for you correct me it's no problem. The minister feels that on a whole over the years working with them for years he dealt with them. The Guatemalans have delivered when they say something they do it etc. I don't have that same feeling. I do not trust the Guatemalans. I don't believe what the officials say but please I want to make it clear, crystal clear again I use the word loosely I don't mean the Guatemalan people, I mean that officials, the military, the elite, the ruling class, who rule the country. I don't trust them."
The Belize delegation is hoping that this draft protocol will be approved by the other side, but most likely they will ask for amendments.
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