UNITED NATIONS, May 10 (Xinhua) -- UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday welcomed the decision of Belize and Guatemala to refer their territorial dispute to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague.
The secretary-general took note of the decision of the people of Belize and Guatemala to submit their border dispute to the ICJ for a final settlement, said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesman for Guterres, in a statement.
The secretary-general welcomes the spirit of cooperation with which both countries have sought to resolve this matter, it said.
Established by the UN Charter as the principal judicial organ of the United Nations, the ICJ is an essential mechanism for the peaceful settlement of disputes, said the statement.
The territory of Belize has been claimed in whole or in part by Guatemala since 1821. Belize and Guatemala held referenda -- on May 8, 2019, and in April 2018 respectively -- on the referral of the dispute to the ICJ.
