Date : 09/05/2006
KUN0009 4 GEN 0311 FRANCE /AFP -SKZ7
POL-UN-KUWAIT-BELIZE
Kuwait, Belize establish diplomatic relations, promote cooperation
UNITED NATIONS, May 9 (KUNA) -- The State of Kuwait and Belize on Monday
agreed to establish diplomatic relations at Ambassadorial level out of their
desire to develop friendly relations and to promote cooperation in the
political, economic, cultural, humanitarian and other mutual interests.
Kuwaiti Ambassador Nabeela Al-Mulla and Belizean Charge d'Affaires Janine
Elizabeth Coye-Felson signed the agreement at the Kuwait Mission to the UN.
In a joint communiqu{, both officials said they were "convinced that the
establishing of diplomatic relations corresponds with the national interests
of both countries and will contribute to the consolidation of cooperation and
peace in the world."
Both sides also sent a letter to Secretary-General Kofi Annan to inform him
of their decision and to request that the information be transmitted to other
member states.
Following the ceremony, Ambassador Al-Mulla told KUNA and Kuwait TV that
she was very pleased and proud of this development.
She said the history of the Kuwaiti-Belizean relationship goes back to the
seventies when Kuwait used to present to the UN the draft resolution calling
for the independence of the Central American country from the Brits.
She said that the relationship between the two countries also continued
through the Kuwaiti Fund for economic development which would assist small
developing countries, like Belize, to build their infrastructure.
"We are very pleased that the government of Belize has established
diplomatic relations with Kuwait. We have had long-standing relations with
Kuwait from the initial stages when Belize was first a non self-governing
territory. Kuwait was very helpful in pushing forward our interest within the
UN," Coye-Felson said.
She added "we even had more recent relations with Kuwait
in terms of cooperation and development. We have expanded within the southern
region of our country a road system. The development of infrastructure is
something we can attribute to the help of Kuwait.
"We think that this establishment of diplomatic relations will strengthen
our relations, not only with Kuwait but within the Middle East, where Belize
is continuing to expand its diplomatic relations," she noted.
She explained that "we do have a community from Lebanon and Palestine,"
recalling that Belize's current Prime Minister Said Musa is of Palestinian
origin.
Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, Belize supported the UN
Security Council resolutions imposing economic and trade sanctions against
Iraq and authorizing the use of force to liberate Kuwait.
In supporting the UN resolutions, Belize stressed its own interest in
seeing the sovereignty and territorial integrity of small, vulnerable states
protected. Although it favored peaceful, diplomatic, and political solutions
to the crisis, it regarded the use of force by the United States-led coalition
to be consistent with those resolutions.
Belize is located on the Caribbean coast of northern Central America, with
Mexico and Guatemala as neighbors. It has a population of about 200,000 people.
Although a number of economically important minerals, including gold, exist
in Belize, none has been found in quantities large enough to warrant mining.
In 1990 limestone, used in road-building, was the only mineral resource being
exploited for either domestic or export use.(end)
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