WASHINGTON, DC, USA (CMC) – The Organization of American States (OAS) says its secretary general, Luis Almagro, has met with the ministers of foreign affairs of Belize and Guatemala regarding recent incidents in the Belize-Guatemala Adjacency Zone and the Sarstoon River.

On Wednesday, Almagro confirmed on that “the imminent deployment of a group of experts to conduct an independent investigation into the circumstances which resulted in the death of a Guatemalan minor , following an incident with the Belizean security forces in the Adjacency Zone”.

Recalling Annex C of the Confidence Building Measures in force on the Guidelines for Public Statements, Almagro urged its strict compliance by the parties.

The OAS secretary general also called on both sides to adopt a cooperation mechanism as soon as possible to normalise the situation in the Sarstoon River “so that both the peoples and governments of Belize and Guatemala can refocus on strengthening their good neighbourly relations.”

“The secretary general welcomed the readiness of both parties to advance in the negotiations of the cooperation mechanism and urged the parties to avoid future incidents, such as those that have recently occurred,” the OAS said in a release.

Last week, the OAS said it would conduct, at the request of the governments of Belize and Guatemala, an independent investigation of the April 20 incident that led to the death of Guatemalan minor Julio René Alvarado Ruano.

Alvarado Ruano’s father and brother were wounded in the incident.

The OAS said after receiving formal requests from both governments, Almagro confirmed to authorities from the two countries that he will “proceed immediately with the identification and deployment of the appropriate experts to carry out the investigation as soon as possible”.