Guatemalan claim to Belizean territory

The Guatemalan claim to Belizean territory is an unresolved binational territorial dispute between the nations of Belize and Guatemala, neighbours in Central America. Belize, a former British colony with English as the official language, has been claimed in whole or in part by Guatemala, a Spanish-speaking country, since 1851, when a treaty signed by Great Britain and Guatemala to end the dispute failed to do so.

Nineteenth century

The dispute originated in imperial Spain's claim to all "New World" territories west of the line established in the Treaty of Tordesillas in 1494. 19th century efforts to resolve the problems led to later differences over interpretation and implementation of an 1859 British-Guatemalan treaty intended to establish the boundaries between Guatemala and Belize, then named British Honduras. Guatemala contends that the 1859 treaty is void because the British failed to comply with all of its economic assistance clauses. Neither Spain nor Guatemala ever exercised effective sovereignty over the area.

Twentieth century

Negotiations proceeded for many years, including one period in the 1960s in which the United States Government sought unsuccessfully to mediate. A 1981 trilateral (Belize, Guatemala, and the United Kingdom) "Heads of Agreement" was not implemented due to disagreements. Thus, Belize became independent on September 21, 1981, with the territorial dispute unresolved. Significant negotiations between Belize and Guatemala, with the United Kingdom as an observer, resumed in 1988. Guatemala recognized Belize's independence in 1991 and diplomatic relations were established.

On October 19, 1999, Said Musa, Prime Minister of Belize at the time, was made aware that Guatemala wanted to renew its claim. The Guatemalan military placed personnel at the edge of the internationally-recognized border, and Belizean patrols incorporating both Belize Defence Force members and police took place opposite them. [Dion E. Phillips, "The Military of Belize" http://www.cavehill.uwi.edu/bnccde/belize/conference/papers/phillips.html, 2002]

Twenty-first century

In February of 2000, a Belizean patrol shot and killed a Guatemalan in the area of Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. On the 24th of that month, personnel from both nations encountered each other in Toledo District. [Dion E. Phillips, "The Military of Belize" http://www.cavehill.uwi.edu/bnccde/belize/conference/papers/phillips.html, 2002] The two countries held further talks on March 14, 2000, at the Organization of American States (OAS) in Washington, DC, in the presence of the OAS Secretary General. Eventually they agreed to establish an "adjacency zone" extending one kilometer on either side of the 1859 treaty line, now designated the "adjacency line," and to continue negotiations aimed at resolving their dispute.

In June 2008, Belizean Prime Minister Dean Barrow said resolving the dispute is the biggest goal. He proposed referenda for the citizens of Belize and Guatemala, asking whether they support referring the issue to the International Court of Justice. [Ramos, Wellington C. [http://www.caribbeannetnews.com/news-8942--6-6--.html "Hundreds of Belizeans pack Manhattan Center"] ]

References

External Links

* [http://www.mfa.gov.bz/library/documents/LegalOpinionon.pdf Legal Opinion on Guatemala's Territorial Claim to Belize] and [http://www.belize-guatemala.gov.bz/library/legal_opinion/welcome.html MFA Library] and [http://www.belize-guatemala.gov.bz/ Other Documents]
* [http://www.minex.gob.gt/index.php?option=com_content&task=section&id=8&Itemid=49 Guatemalan Claim Opinion]