BELIZE: WASHINGTON TALKS (Hansard, 15 July 1977)

§ Lord BOSTON of FAVERSHAM
My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

§ The MINISTER of STATE, FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH OFFICE (Lord Goronwy-Roberts)
My Lords, I will, with permission, circulate a copy of the agreed joint communiqué in the Official Report. The Joint Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs hopes to visit Guatemala City next week to continue his discussions.

§ Lord BOSTON of FAVERSHAM
My Lords, no doubt noble Lords will be grateful to my noble friend and to my honourable friend for the efforts that are being made. Can my noble friend say whether one of the matters under consideration has been the possibility of additional access by Guatemala through Belize, perhaps under some form of international guarantee or control? Could he also confirm that it is being kept firmly at the forefront of the minds of the negotiators that, at the last two Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations, Resolutions were passed overwhelmingly endorsing the Belizeans' right to determine their own future and their independence, particularly on the basis of their territorial integrity?

§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS
My Lords, we have offered co-operation and consultation between Guatemala and an independent Belize in the fields of defence, security, foreign and economic affairs, joint economic developments to which the United Kingdom might contribute financially and a new seaward boundary which would provide Guatemala with guaranteed and permanent access to the Caribbean. These proposals have been made with the agreement of the Belize Government.
As to the support of the international authority and other international bodies for independence for Belize on the basis that the United Kingdom has consistently put forward, I am glad to confirm what my noble friend has said. Indeed, in 1975 and 1976, the United Nations General Assembly, by referral from the Fourth Committee, adopted by large majorities Resolutions in favour of independence for Belize very much on the basis of what we have consistently put forward. In fact, the figures in 1975 were 110 votes in favour, nine against, 16 abstentions; in 1976, there were 116 votes in favour, nine against and 15 abstentions. I think that it is apposite also to add that both the non-aligned conferences, at their meetings in Colombo and two years ago in Kingston, similarly expressed support for the Belizean view and our view. The Commonwealth, of course, is in accord with our proposals and our manner of approaching this question, as, indeed, are a large number of other countries which could not 1104 immediately be identified with any of those organisations.

Baroness VICKERS
My Lords, would the noble Lord be kind enough to consider whether we could not get a treaty with Guatemala, rather than having these episodes occurring every two or three years? That would be better than offering them aid and so on. It would give us a permanent treaty so that we should know how we stood in the future. I am certain that it would be helpful to the inhabitants of Belize.

§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS
My Lords, I would not rule out that modus. Our aim is to advance Belize to independence on the basis of regional acquiescence and co-operation. No doubt the discussions next week and subsequently will consider whether this can best be done by negotiation involving a treaty.

Lord CAMPBELL of CROY
My Lords, is it not correct that in recent years the presence, with the agreement of the people of Belize, of one battalion of British troops in Belize has contributed to keeping good order, peace and stability in this difficult situation?

§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS
My Lords, I think that events have proved the truth of the noble Lord's contention. We approached this matter on the basis of our obligation to provide adequate defence for a country which is under our protection and which we are anxious, by agreement, to advance to independence in due course. We shall continue to honour our obligations to Belize.

§ Lord HAILSHAM of SAINT MARYLEBONE
My Lords, is not what is really depressing about the whole of this scenario the fact that, 32 years after the United Nations Charter—which outlawed war as an instrument of national policy—one nation after another in Southern Africa, the Middle East and now Central America is apparantly willing to adopt war as a viable option of national policy? Is not that the really depressing fact?

§ Lord GORONWY-ROBERTS
My Lords, it is indeed depressing, but for every depression there may be an equal and positive encouragement. Thirty-two years have passed during which there have 1105 been these disturbances and threats in various parts of the world; and 32 years have passed without a major disturbance of the peace of the world.
Following is the joint communiqué referred to:

"1. Representatives of the Governments of Guatemala and of the United Kingdom met in Washington on 6th/7th July in a third round of negotiations at Ministerial level to discuss the question of Belize. The Guatemalan side was led by Dr. Adolfo Molina Orantes, Foreign Minister of Guatemala. The British side was led by Mr. Ted Rowlands MP, Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The British delegation included the Hon. George Price, Premier of Belize and an all-Party delegation.

"2. There was a detailed discussion of the means by which the controversy over the future of Belize might be solved peacefully and harmoniously, taking into account the interests of all parties. In the course of these discussions both sides put forward proposals for resolving the question. It was agreed that the proposals submitted would be the subject of the most careful study in order to pursue the negotiations to a peaceful solution acceptable to all parties.

"3. Among other matters the British side explained the procedures that have been followed to bring dependent territories to independence, pointing out that such procedures inevitably took time and were always public and were never secret. There could not therefore be any sudden move to independence for Belize.

"4. It was also agreed that the British Minister would visit Guatemala as soon as possible in order to discuss the means of reducing tension and the next stages in the negotiations. Thereafter a date for the next meeting will be decided."