Secretary-General Lauds Progress by Belize, Guatemala to Resolve Dispute

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon:

The Secretary-General salutes the progress made by Belize and Guatemala under the auspices of the Organization of American States to resolve their longstanding territorial dispute.  He welcomes their decision to hold simultaneous referendums on 6 October 2013 to consult their populations on referring the dispute to the International Court of Justice.  Belize and Guatemala have requested financial support from the international community for the referendums and possible eventual legal proceedings.  The Secretary-General believes that this process is in line with the objective of pacific settlement of disputes enshrined in the United Nations Charter and merits international support.

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For information media • not an official record