The III Mesa Redonda de El Pilar was convened in Remate, Peten, Guatemala at the Mansion del Pajaro Serpiente for the purpose of advancing the development of the institutional framework for the El Pilar Archaeological Reserve for Maya Flora and Fauna in Belize and the El Pilar Cultural Monument in Guatemala. Together the Reserve and Cultural Monument encompass a single ancient Maya center - known as El Pilar. The III Mesa Redonda advances the process of formalizing the institutional arrangements necessary to achieve the administration and management of El Pilar in both countries individually and jointly in the following manner.

    Participants at the III Mesa Redonda drafted and negotiated instruments of delegation of the management of the Reserve from the Department of Archaeology in Belize and Cultural Monument from CONAP (Council on Protected Areas) in Guatemala to non governmental organizations in each country in conformance with the law and policy of the governmental entities with the ultimate authority of ensuring the security of their natural and cultural heritage. Copies of these instruments are attached.

    Participants at the III Mesa Redonda drafted and negotiated an instrument creating a Consultative Council as a technical advisory group to provide guidance to the management entities for El Pilar in both countries concerning matters of monitoring, evaluation, harmonization of standards (within the legal and policy framework of each country), representation before regional and international organizations, and securing logistical and financial resources for the site.

    Participants at the III Mesa Redonda reviewed and refined a document entitled the Process of Strategic Planning for El Pilar. This document is designed to serve as the basis for joint activities executed by the administrative authorities in support of the approved management plans in each county for a period of three years.

    Participants at the III Mesa Redonda named themselves as the ad hoc Consultative Council for El Pilar, as set forth in the instrument creating the Consultative Council, for purposes of advancing the goals and objectives of the III Mesa Redonda. This ad hoc Consultative Council remains effective until such time as the Consultative Council is formally convened in accordance with the instrument creating the Consultative Council.

    Finally, members of the Consultative Council for El Pilar established a working group consisting of the Amigos de El Pilar Belize Guatemala, Help for Progress in Belize, Cänaan K'aax in Guatemala and the Belize River Archaeological Settlement Survey. The working group is charged with concluding the process of coadministration called for by the instruments of delegation and seeking the financial and logistical resources necessary to ensure implementation of the activities called for by these instruments and the strategic plan for El Pilar.

Having reviewed the attached instruments, directives and planning documents developed and refined at the III Mesa Redonda El Pilar, the participants at III Mesa Redonda El Pilar hereby approve them and direct the appropriate members of the ad hoc Consultative Council and the Working Group to pursue them in the manner called for within these instruments and resolutions.
List of Attached Instruments

1. Delegation instrument Guatemala
2. Delegation instrument Belize
3. Instrument establishing Consultative Council
4. Strategic Planning Process for El Pilar
5. Solicitation of CONAP to address enforcement issues at El Pilar