SUPPORT FROM ARGENTINA

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25437, 8 March 1948, Page 7

SUPPORT FROM ARGENTINA

Guatemalan Claim To British Honduras FEAR OF BORDER INCIDENTS (N.2. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11 p.m.) BUENOS AIRES, March 6. The Vice-President of Argentina has sent a letter to the Guatemalan Senate condemning the sending of British warships to Belize, the capital of British Honduras. The letter added that

the Argentine Republic had not recognised, nor would it recognise, colonial possessions in America

The Associated Press says that political observers viewed the letter as a clear indication that the Argentine is willing to couple its dispute with Britain over the Falkland Islands and Antarctic areas with the Guatemalan demand that Britain should give up British Honduras.

The Guatemalan Foreign Office has announced that Guatemala is now closing the frontier between Guatemala and .British Honduras to avert possible incidents.

Before the Foreign Office made this announcement, Reuter’s correspondent reported from San Salvador that the danger of border incidents had increased with reports that the Guatemalan Government had dispatched troops to their frontier provinces. Hopes for a “mutually satisfactory settlement” of the dispute between Guatemala and Britain over British Honduras were expressed by the United States Secretary of State (General Marshall) in a Note to the Guatemalan Foreign Minister (Mr Enrique Mmoz Meany) which was published yesterday. General Marshall was replying to a Note from Mr Meany on February 27 saying that Guatemala “was planning to adhere to judicial procedures with respect to claims to Belize.”

Mr Meany complained of Britain’s actions in sending cruisers to Belize. General Marshall’s reply said - “My Government has taken note of your Excellency’s statement, and it continues to hold the confident hone that the Governments of Guatemala and Britain will soon find a means of bringing the long-standing Belize controversy -to a mutually satisfactory settlement.”