BELIZEAN DATT ON BORDER DISPUTE

C O N F I D E N T I A L GUATEMALA 002388

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/09/2013
TAGS: PBTS PREL BH GT
SUBJECT: BELIZEAN DATT ON BORDER DISPUTE

Classified By: Robert E. Copley for reason 1.5 (b).


1. (C) PolOff met with Lt. Col. Omar L. Pulido, Belizean
Defense Attache in Guatemala, at his request, on September 9.
Pulido wanted our readout on whether the future of the
confidence building measures had been affected by Guatemala's
rejection of the OAS facilitator's proposals. Pulido said
President Portillo's message at the September 3 Summit, that
the door to negotiations was "still open," was well received
in Belize although several political factions are looking for
ways to impose costs on Guatemala for rejecting the
proposals. PolOff informed Pulido that the Embassy had
expressed keen disappointment to GOG officials and conveyed
to him the assurances we have received regarding Guatemalan
interest in maintaining and even expanding the confidence
building measures.


2. (C) Pulido indicated that he and Belizean Ambassador
Martinez had made an effort to get to know the realities of
the border region and had met with Padre Salvador Crutzal,
the crusading priest whose comments on alleged Belizean
Defense Force atrocities get frequent play in Guatemalan
media. Pulido indicated he was surprised and relieved to
find Crutzal a pragmatic interlocutor seeking solutions for
the daily problems of his parish. The Belizean Embassy is
working with Crutzal in hopes of developing a dialogue with
Guatemalan peasants in the Adjacency Zone. Note: FM
Gutierrez told the Ambassador September 10 he had also met
with Crutzal who said he may be leaving his parish. End Note.


3. (C) On a another positive note, Pulido said that for the
first time ever, the Embassy of Belize in Guatemala was going
to celebrate Belizean Independence on September 19. Pulido
hoped the event would be a low-key success that would serve
to demonstrate continued progress in the Belizean-Guatemalan
relationship.
HAMILTON