So, to the big news of the Prime Minister's Press Conference this afternoon. He told the media that now that the 30-day ban in the Sarstoon is in effect, Belize is hard at work, through the diplomatic channels, to negotiate a peace keeping protocol for the Sarstoon River.
According to the Prime Minister, a high-level delegation from Belize has been in Washington since this weekend. They been conducting bilateral talks with Guatemala today, and those sessions will continue tomorrow. Here's how Prime Minister Barrow explained the urgency with which his Foreign Affairs Diplomats are acting during this 30-day cooling down period in the Sarstoon:
Rt. Hon. Dean Barrow, Prime Minister
"Foreign Minister has been dispatch directly from the Bahamas to Washington where we have succeeded with the help of the Americans in arranging a number of meetings. These are with the OAS, with the State Department and that meeting with the State Department took place at 11pm Washington time morning. It was with the Under Secretary of State, Ambassador Shannon, who I believe is the number two to Kerry. So there was that meeting this morning at 11 and another meeting takes place just about now, perhaps started about an hour or so. That was schedule for 4pm Washington time - a bilateral meeting between Belize and Guatemala."
"All the talks - we also met with OAS Secretary General Almagro this afternoon. That was before the bilateral with Guatemala. Tomorrow the Guatemalans meet with Under Secretary Shannon. They also meet with the OAS Secretary General and then in the afternoon, there is tripartite meeting among Belize, Guatemala and the OAS. Now, in all this, the issue that looms largest is the Sarstoon."
"Foreign Minister Elrington is accompanied by Ambassador Alexis Rosado, Ambassador Pat Andrews and National Security CEO Colonel George Lovell."
"Clearly then ladies and gentlemen, we continue to pursue all means to dispel any threat from Guatemala and to secure an international diplomatic shield for Belize's sovereignty and territorial integrity. Foreign Minister Elrington will report to the nation as soon as he gets back."
Email
Print