Now, for the territorial dispute to actually go to the ICJ, the populations of both Belize and Guatemala have to vote yes in their respective referendums.
But, as you may be aware, there are those strong-minded Belizeans who refuse to entertain the idea of an ICJ resolution. And that's because there is suspicion that if Guatemala loses the case, they will simply ignore the ruling and carry on as though nothing has changed.
We asked the Ambassador point-blank about that concern:
Daniel Ortiz, reporter
"We know that in the past, your country was claiming half of Belize. Is that still the position?"
H.E. Georges de la Roche Du Ronzet - Guatemalan Ambassador to Belize
"When you ask that, I will remind you that we are tiptoeing around a legal case, a court case or hopefully a court case. So I won't even dare to answer that. Once we are at the Hague there will be a memorial presented by us in the stages of their procedures in the Hague. So that's the answer I can give you."
"By coincidence I was sent to the Hague 19 years ago to open our embassy there, waiting for this case to get there, so there has been much preparation for it."
Daniel Ortiz, reporter
"There is a guess this worry that if both populations take this matter to the ICJ and Belizeans believe that Belize is for Belizeans, should the court rule in that particular manner, will this be a situation the chapter will be closed? Should Belizeans worry that a future government administration or future generation of Guatemalans will say look no, we reject that particular ruling."
H.E. Georges de la Roche Du Ronzet - Guatemalan Ambassador to Belize
"Let me answer in 3 parts, the first part let me be very emphatic and clear and a simple answer. Yes. Allow me to elaborate. We recognized the Hague as the judicial arm of the United Nations. We are very much part of the United Nations system. If this goes to the Hague and we are hoping it does, like I believe you're hoping it does - absolutely yes. What we want and I answered the first question, we want closure on this. We understand and all the accords and all the agreement we have signed to that effect - that's always mentioned that the resolution is final and definite. We understand that and we are more than willing to abide by that."
As we told you, there was a lengthy negotiation between the Ambassador's office and our news room, before we finally arrived at yesterday's sit-down interview. We had a long list of questions to ask him about his Government's reaction to the fatal Chiquibul shooting of the 13 year-old Guatemalan boy.
But, ultimately, we were told that he was not able to take our questions on that topic at this time.
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