OAS Signals Willingness to Mediate Sarstoon Tensions

The OAS is weighing in on the Sarstoon situation. Secretary General Albert Ramdin is in Belize for Diplomatic Week, and earlier today he faced the media right here in Belize City. Ramdin made it clear, the Organization of American States is ready to step in and help Belize and Guatemala resolve the standoff, but only if both countries ask for that assistance.

 

Albert Ramdin, Secretary General, OAS

“The OAS can assist if both countries are requesting such an assistance. Certainly, when it’s about border issues like this, you need both countries to be involved in terms of request. The OAS, I must say, stands ready to assist if requested. At the same time, we know that realities in both countries need to be taken into account as well. Again, I must say that the Sarstoon River is not part of the adjacency zone, it’s not within the adjacency zone; that was determined a long time ago. I must say that we must be pleased that both countries have engaged at the proper, high diplomatic levels with all the relevant parties to avoid any kind of escalation. It’s what we expect from responsible governments. So, again, compliments to both governments and the foreign ministers who have engaged. The OAS will be ready to assist in this process in whatever way both countries request us to do so. The OAS is not here to condemn anybody. That’s not the way, at least under my leadership, it will be happening. We want to remain informed by both governments. We expect both governments to be responsible at the right political level so that, you know, escalation is avoided, but also the right messages given to their respective populations. So far that has happened, and so at the same time we appeal to both countries not to do anything, not to take any action that can jeopardize the process which has been ongoing, which is an agreed process towards the ICJ. So, we will await that outcome but at the same time hold both countries accountable to what has been agreed in 2005, and before that in 2000. So, it is not so much to condemn. We will discuss this but at the right level and, given the sensitivities of them, through diplomatic channels.”