Written question asked by Jimmy Wray (Labour) on Thursday, 12 December 2002, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 17 December 2002. It was answered by Denis MacShane (Labour) on Tuesday, 17 December 2002 on behalf of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Foreign and Commonwealth Office

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what commitments the UK has made to the protection of the Belize state border; what level of co-operation there is between UK and local security forces; and what discussions have taken place with Belizian authorities regarding border protection.

Answer: Mr. Wray: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what commitments the UK has made to the protection of the Belize state border; what level of co-operation there is between UK and local security forces; and what discussions have taken place with Belizian authorities regarding border protection. [87370] Mr. MacShane: Our commitment to Belize is to consult internationally in the event of a threat to Belize's security and to play an appropriate part in any response. This has been the UK's position since the withdrawal of the British garrison from Belize in 1994. We have a close relationship with the Belize Defence Force. The Ministry of Defence maintains an important jungle training school in Belize. The Governments of Belize and Guatemala are working closely under the auspices of the Organisation of America States (OAS) both to settle their long-standing territorial dispute and to agree on measures to build confidence on the border. We strongly support the OAS process.

Secondary information