Former British Prime Minister, Baroness Margaret Thatcher, passed away earlier today at age eighty-seven after suffering a stroke. This morning, the current prime minister, David Cameroon, called her the greatest prime minister who not only served but saved her country. According to her family, Thatcher has been battling several illnesses as well as dementia for some years.
Thatcher became Prime Minister of Britain in 1979 and held the post until 1990, becoming not only the first and only female Prime Minister to this date; but the longest serving prime minister in the twentieth century in Britain's history. But for our historical perspective we came across a document, a briefing paper from the US State Department which predates Belize's independence. In it the State Department discusses the Caribbean and Central America. The document underpins the relations between Thatcher and the then President Reagan.
In respect of Belize it says that the United Kingdom, at the time, was interested in ending the financial burden to its remaining colonies and had determined to grant independence to Belize. The briefing notes also mentions that the US was to urge Thatcher to "advise the Belizeans to seriously consider ceding some minor cayes to Guatemala if that is what is required to reach a successful overall settlement of the dispute, and encourage the British to provide a post-independence security guarantee in Belize."