assad shoman, minister of foreign affairs and … · assad shoman, minister of foreign affairs and...

ASSADSHOMAN,MINISTEROFFOREIGNAFFAIRSANDCOOPERATIONOFBELIZECEREMONYMARKINGTHERECEIPTOFTHEFACILITATORS’PROPOSALSTOENDTHEBELIZE‐GUATEMALATERRITORIALDIFFERENDUMSeptember30,2002‐Washington,DCExcellenciesSecretaryGeneralandAssistantSecretaryGeneraloftheOrganizationofAmericanStatesMinistersofForeignAffairsHisExcellencytheSecretaryGeneraloftheCentralAmericanIntegrationSystemDistinguishedRepresentativesandSpecialEnvoysofRegionalOrganizationsandFinancialInstitutionsDistinguishedAmbassadorstotheOrganizationofAmericanStatesLadiesandGentlemen:ThankyouforbeingheretosharethismomentinthehistoryofCentralAmerica.ItssignificanceisbestsummedupinthewordsofSecretaryGeneralGaviria,whenhedeclaredthat“theculminationofthisfirstphaseisverysignificantnotonlyfortheBelizeansandGuatemalans—whowillbenefitbycoexistinginpeace,harmonyandconfidence—butalsoforthepeopleoftheAmericas,whowillrecognizethetremendousbenefittobederivedfrommediationandnegotiationprocesses."Inahemisphereendangeredbythepoliticallandminesofunresolvedandfesteringborderdisputes,thisFacilitationprocessprovidesanovelapproachtoeasetensionandcombattheinfectionofdistrustandhostility,thefrustrationofunrealizeddreams.Thediseaseofdisputedrainsourcountriesofscarceresources,stiflesthegrowthofoureconomies,robsourpeopleofpeaceandprosperity,deprivesthemofhope.EnsuringthatthisprocessofFacilitationresultsintheresolutionofthedifferendumbetweenBelizeandGuatemalaisthecollectiveresponsibilityofourhemisphereandourworldcommunity.Thepeacewefoughtsohardtoconceiveandbirthmustnotbeorphanedforlackofsupport.Aswemakehistoryheretoday,letusrecallthatthisthinghasahistory.TheGuatemalanclaimtotheterritoryofBelizeissomethingthateveryBelizean,nomatterhowold,hasasoneofherorhisearliestmemories.Ahangoverfromthe19thcentury,itdelayedtheindependence,distortedthedevelopmentandcastashadowoverthefutureofBelize.Itnotonlyledtofear,suspicionandhostilitytowardtheclaimingcountry,butalsotowardtheotherSpanishspeakingcountriesofCentralAmerica.Foralongtime,tobeSpanishspeakingwasconsideredsuspicious.ItevensouredrelationsanddelayedthenaturalcomingtogetheroftheCaribbeanCommunityandCentralAmericancountries.Thoseofuswhohavelongdreamtofabiggertrans‐Caribbeanregionlivinginpeaceandharmony,strugglingtogethertobringequitabledevelopmenttoourpeoples–and,forBelize,foremostamongthosedreamerswasandisGeorgePrice,theFatheroftheNation‐thosewhohaveseentheCaribbeanSeaasagreatuniterofculturesandethnic

groupsfromallovertheworld,thosedreamershavealwayslongedforanendtothisanachronisticdisputethatdividespeoplesthatarenaturalalliesandpartners.Weseetherealpossibilityofthatendcomingsoon.Nopreviousattemptstosettlethisdispute–and,believeme,therehavebeenmanyoveracenturyandahalfandusingalltheestablishedconflictresolutionmechanisms‐nonehavecomethiscloseto,orshownthispromiseof,satisfyingtheyearningoftheordinarypeoplesofGuatemalaandofBelizetoputthisthingbehindusandworktogethertobuildabetterlifeforourselvesandourchildren.IbelievethisprocesshasbeensuccessfulbecauseGuatemalaandBelizetookthedecisiontotrytounderstand–andmakeprovisionsfor‐eachother’sconcerns,limitationsandsusceptibilities.Becausewewerepreparedtothinkoutsidetheboxandcreateaprocesswithoutprecedent:wewouldnotnegotiatedirectlywitheachother,butthroughFacilitatorsthatwewouldeachappoint;theOASwouldbedirectlyinvolved,notonlybyhavingtheSecretaryGeneralasHonourWitness,butalsobyusingPanAmericanorganisationstocarryouttechnicalworktoadvancetheProcess;wecouldnotagreethattherewasaborder,sowecalleditanAdjacencyLineandcreatedaZonealongitforwhichweagreedaspecialregimeaspartoftheConfidenceBuildingMeasuresthathaveservedussowell;wefoundoutwecouldnotaloneprovidetheelementsforasolution,soweaskedaneighbourandfriendtohelpus;weagreednotto“accept”theProposalsoftheFacilitators,butto“receive”them,adreferendum,literally:eachofuswouldsubmitthemtoareferendumonthesamedayandwiththesamequestion.Letthepeopledecide,letdemocracyreign!Bothofushavelearntalotoverthisprocess.Wehavelearnttoworktogetherandtobuildtrustbetweenus.Wehavelearntthatdespitethedeepsuspicionsamongourpeople,theydesperatelywanttoliveinpeacewitheachotherandworktogethertoproduceabettertomorrow.Aboveall,wehavelearntthattherearesomanypeoplesandcountrieswhoshareourdreamsoflivingpeacefullyandproductivelyandwhohavecomeforwardtohelpusrealizethatdream.ForemostamongtheseIwanttogivethankstoHonduras.Thisthingwearecelebratingtodayisbiggerthanitlooks.Itisnotonlythebestchancetoendforeveradisputethathastorntwopeoplesapartformuchtoolong,butitisalsoforwardlooking,solvingproblemsaboveandbeyondthatdispute.TheProposalsallowforthemaritimeboundariesintheGulfofHondurasbetweenBelize,GuatemalaandHondurastobeagreed:territorialseaboundariesandEEZboundaries,withouttheexpensiveandlong‐drawnoutprocessofnegotiations,muchlessofadjudication.ThisismadepossiblebythewillingnessofHonduras,inatrulypraiseworthyandhonourablespiritofCentralAmericansolidarity,tohelpustoreachanagreement.Iwillgofurther:withoutHonduras’participation,asettlementofthe

GuatemalanterritorialclaimtoBelizewouldnothavebeenpossible.Thankyou,Honduras;youreffortstofosterpeaceinourregionexemplifywhatitmeanstobeagoodneighbour.Thanks,ofcourse,totheOASSecretaryGeneralandAssistantSecretaryGeneral,bothofwhohaveshownakeeninterestin,andgreataptitudefor,advancingthisFacilitationProcess,andwithoutwhoseexpertassistancewecouldnothavesucceeded.AspecialwordofthankstostaffmembersoftheOASwhohavebeenexemplaryintheirwillingnesstosacrificetheirtimeandfamilydutiestohelpusmakeitthroughthenight.Youhavemadeusfeelproudtobelongtothisorganization.ThePanAmericanInstituteofGeographyandHistory,whichhashelpeduswithverificationandmappingwork,andtheInternationalOrganizationforMigration,haveplayedcrucialrolesinthisProcess,andwethankthemandtheirofficersprofoundly.TheNationalImagingandMappingAgencyoftheUnitedStatesofAmerica,andtheOrdnanceSurveyandHydrographicOfficesoftheUnitedKingdomhavemadecrucialcontributions,andwethankthem.Toallthosecountries,andtotheHolySee,thathavecontributedwithmoralandpoliticalsupportforthisFacilitationProcess,tothosethathavecontributedtothespecialPeaceFundattheOAS,whichmadeitpossibletofundtheprocess;andtoallthosemanymorecountriesthatwillcontributegenerouslytotheDevelopmentTrustFundthatisanessentialpartofthesettlementpackage,ourheartfeltthanks.Yourinvestmentinpeacewillyieldbountifulreturns.OurdeepestgratitudegoestotheFacilitators,SirShridathRamphalandMr.PaulReichler.Yoursteadfastness,wisdom,andskillasnegotiatorshavebeentheenginesprovidingthepropulsionforourjourneysofar.Wearecomfortedbythefactthatyouwillstaythecoursewithus,throughthereferenda,theTreatydrafting,finalisationandimplementation,toensurethatthispeaceprocesscontinuestonotchupsuccessesforourtwocountriesandforthehemisphere.Tomyfriend,theForeignMinisterofGuatemala:Gabriel,webeganthisjourneytogether;togetherweconceivedtheidea,steeredthevesselthroughdifficult,sometimesragingwaters;ourGovernmentsmustensurethatthecargoreachesshore,andthepreciousgoodsaredeliveredtoourpeople.Aboveall,notonlythepeoplesofourtwocountriesbutalsothoseofthehemisphere,oweagreatdebtofgratitudetothevision,wisdomandcourageofPresidentAlfonsoPortilloandPrimeMinisterSaidMusa.Theywerepainedbythebreachbetweentwoneighbours,bythewasteandlostopportunitiesofconflict,andtookthebolddecisiontobringpeaceatlasttoourtroubledpeoples.

Imayhaveleftoutsomekeyplayers;asPrimeMinisterSaidMusasaidwhencommentingonthetaskheandPresidentPortillohadsetthemselvesofrelegatingthisdisputetothedustbinofhistory:“Whatwecouldnotknowwasjusthowmuchhelpwecouldexpect–andfromhowmanyquarters–inbringingthattasktoanhonourableconclusion.”Toallthosewhohavehelped,therefore,thankyouverymuch.AllowmeonemorequotefromPrimeMinisterMusa’saddress.“Inthelivesofallcountries”,hesaid,“therecomemomentsofdecisionthatareofextraordinarysignificanceforthefuture,whenthechoiceswemakeinfluencenotonlyourownlivesbutthoseofgenerationstocome.Thisisoneofthosemoments.ForBelize,Ibelieve,thatchoiceisclear;andforGuatemalatoo.Itmustbeachoicedictatedbyourpeoples’yearningfordevelopment,notimpairedbyuncertaintyandanxiety.”Ibelievebothpeopleswillmakethathistoricchoiceforpeaceandjustice;andastheydoso,itisnow,morethanever,thatweneedandseekthesupportofallourfriends.ForthisProcessisnotyetover.Ourimmediatefirststepmustbetokeepthepeaceandtranquillityalongourborder,afragileandoftenthreatenedpeacethathasenduredonlybecauseofthecreativeconfidencebuildingmeasuresinplace.TheAgreementonConfidenceBuildingMeasuresexpirestoday.ItsessentialextensionrequiresnotonlythepoliticalwilloftheParties,butalsoareplenishingofthePeaceFund.Weneedyourmoral,politicalandpracticalsupporttohelpuskeeptheFacilitatorsandtheOASinplayandthisprocessoncourse.Weneedyourhelptocarryoutandmonitorthereferenda,whichtheFacilitatorshaveproposedfornolaterthantheendofNovemberofthisyear.Toensuresuccessinthereferenda,ourpeoplemustnotonlybeconvincedthattheproposalsarethebestpossiblesolution,butalsothattheentireprocesshasthefullbackingoftheinternationalcommunity.AlreadytheSecretaryGeneraloftheUnitedNations,KofiAnnan,andmanycountries,havepraisedtheProposalsoftheFacilitators.ButtherealityisthattheProposalscanonlybeimplementedwiththefullandcontinuedsupportoftheinternationalcommunity.TheDevelopmentFundisafundamentalcomponentofthepackage.Ourpeopleneedtoknowthatthiscomponent,whichunderpinsvariousaspectsoftheimplementationofthepackage,isinfactattainable.Youandourotherfriendsaretheonlyoneswhocanensurethis.ItwillbeevenmorecriticalforourfriendstobethereforusfortheimplementationoftheTreatiesofSettlement,whenthetimecomes.ThisFacilitationprocess,whichhas

affordedustheopportunitytobecreativeandflexible,hasalsoenabledustoassimilatetriedandprovenconceptssuchasGuarantorsfortheTreatiesofSettlement.HavinganumberofFriendsoftheProcessassumetheroleofGuarantorsoftheTreatiesofSettlementwouldbemostbeneficialtoallparties.BelizeandGuatemalawouldbeassuredofthecontinuedinvolvementofourfriends,itwouldprovideourfriendswithanactivestakeinensuringthesuccessoftheTreatiesofSettlementandofcreatinglastingpeace.Itwouldbeatragedyifyouhelpedourtwocountriestoachieveanhonourable,justanddefinitivesettlementofthisage‐olddisputeandnotcommittobethereforuswhenweneedhelpinstayingtruetoouragreements.Distinguishedgatheringoffriends,theFacilitationprocessthusfarhastaughtusagreatdeal.Ithasshownuswhatispossiblewhenthereisthewilloftwocountriestosettleundesiredlegaciesofhistory.Itwillteachuswhatitmeansfortwoneighbours,separatedbyaccidentsofhistory,buttressedbythewindsofsuspicionandhostility,butunitedbydestiny,tobeabletoliveinpeaceandharmony,toworktogetherforthebettermentofourpeoples.Withinmyowncountry,thisProcesshastaughtusalottoo.ThequestionofhowtoresolvetheGuatemalanclaimhasdeeplydividedourpeopleforgenerations;wehavelearnt,throughthisprocess,toactwithunprecedentednationalunitytoresolveit.GovernmentandOppositionhaveworkedtogetherasfullandequalpartners,andcivilsocietyhasplayedacrucialroleinadvisingandguidingusonthisdifficultjourney.Thejourneyisnotyetover.Weallhavearoletoplay.Wecontinuetolaythebuildingblocksforpeace.Weaskourfriendstoheedthecallingandremainsteadfastwithusinthismostnobleofcauses,for“Blessedarethepeacemakers,fortheyshallbecalledchildrenofGod.”Ithankyou.