How did Belize and Guatemala plan to seek a legal settlement of their territorial dispute?

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To resolve their long-standing territorial dispute, Belize and Guatemala agreed in 2005 that if a negotiated settlement could not be reached, the matter would be referred to an international legal entity.12

Building on this commitment, the governments of both nations formally agreed in 2008 to submit their case to the International Court of Justice. This agreement was made subject to the condition that the decision to proceed would be confirmed through referenda held in both countries.12