JOINT

STATEMENT ON MILITARY BASES

As a Former Prime Minster and former Foreign Ministers of Belize during the
period 1998 to 2008, we wish to categorically state the following in response
to the assertions of the Foreign Minister of Guatemala, Carlos Raul Morales,
that Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) signed by Guatemala with Belize in
2000 and in 2005 took the decision to not increase the military bases in the
vicinity of both countries.

1. Neither the 2000, nor the 2005 instruments on the Confidence Building
Measures between Belize and Guatemala contain or state anything at all
about military bases in either country;

2. No decision or agreement was ever made with Guatemala, in the years
1998 to February 2008 by the Government of Belize with regard to
increasing or removing military bases in either Belize or Guatemala;

3. The mechanism to avoid incidents in the CBMs included the
undertaking by Guatemala to dissuade its citizens from trying to settle
in Belize, a mechanism to remove all illegal Guatemalan settlers in
Belize, and a protocol for OAS verification where necessary. It never
included any decision or directive in respect of any military base, or any
other manner of Operation Post, Conservation Post or Forward
Operating Base;

4. There never was, any commitment made between 1998 and 2008 by
Guatemala, to Belize in respect of its own military bases, and any
decisions made by them with respect to the same, were made
unilaterally.

Said W Musa
Godfrey Smith
Eamon Courtenay
Lisa Shoman