President of Guyana, Irfan Ali has made his country’s position clear over the disputed Essequibo Region as a face to face meeting him and Venezuela’s president, Nicholas Maduro entered a second round in St Vincent and the Grenadines late on Thursday.
In a media update after the first round, Ali said his team met with CAIRCOM prior to meeting Maduro and “there we reiterated our position that is in relation to our land boundary.”
“That matter is before the ICJ (International Court of Justice) and there is absolutely no retreat by Guyana in ensuring that this matter is determined by the ICJ and that the outcome of this matter at the ICJ be respected by all,” he stated.
He said in the first face to face meeting with Maduro, he outlined Guyana’s “clear position” on the matter.
“That is, we are a peace-abiding country and people,” he said. “We have no other ambition than to pursue the peaceful co-existence with Venezuela and every country in this region. I made it very clear that Guyana has all the right to exercise its sovereign right within its territorial space, to approve of and facilitate any development, any investment, any partnership, any trading, any collaboration, any cooperation, the issue of any license and the granting of any concessions within our territorial space and within our sovereign space.”
He said he also told Maduro that the border controversy must be resolved at the ICJ.
“And we are unwavering and resolute in ensuring that Guyana’s case is presented, defended and that the ICJ will issue its decision on the merits of the case, which of course is binding on all the parties,” Ali stated.
He said Guyana agrees with regional countries that the priority is peace.
“And that every threat of force or the use of force must be denounced,” he remarked. “And that every party must take responsibility. We made it very clear that Guyana is not the aggressor, Guyana is not seeking war but Guyana reserves the right to work with all our partners to ensure the defense of our country. All our partnership is based on the defense of our territorial integrity and sovereignty.”
Ali made it clear that in the next phase of the meeting with Maduro, he won’t be discussing the border dispute but rather other “consequential issues.”
“So as we move forward in the next phase of the meeting, I am keeping with the invitation which sought to enable a process of dialogue on consequential issues, not on the issue before the ICJ,” he said. “On consequential issues, that that dialogue, the shape and form of that dialogue in understanding of how we move forward is the next phase of these meetings. Both parties committed to ensuring the region remains a zone of peace. I made it very clear that within the sovereign space of Guyana, we will continue to do everything that promotes the development, the advancement of our people and all the partnerships necessary to ensure the defense and protection of what is ours.”
Maduro did not address the media during a break in the talks but stated before it started “we will make the most of it so that our Latin America and the Caribbean remains a zone of peace.”
The meeting is being held under the auspices of CELAC and CARICOM and is being attended by the president of Brazil, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Venezuela has made moves to seize the potentially oil-rich Essequibo Region, which makes up two-third of Guyana, saying it was part of its territory during the Spanish colonial period. It has also argued that a 1966 Geneva Agreement between Venezuela, Britain and then-British Guiana, now Guyana, nullified a border drawn in 1899 by international arbitrators.
The Spanish-speaking country held a referendum on December 3 on the matter and said its citizens voted overwhelmingly to make the Essequibo Region a part of Venezuela. Following the referendum, Maduro ordered state-owned companies to explore and exploit the oil, gas and mines in the region.
It appears the matter will not be resolved in just one meeting.
Before the meeting between the two leaders started, prime minister of St Vincent and the Grenadines, Dr Ralph Gonsalves, used a cricket metaphor to describe the situation saying, “this is not a one-day cricket match.”
“The fact that they will be talking is very important on friendly, neutral grounds like St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” he said.
Who you think was behind the Haitian President’s assassination ? Who you think was responsible for Gadaffi’s ousting? i could be wrong about Maduro, but america has had their dirty hands in the changing of many a government.
Continued dialogue in any dispute offers a possibility of a common ground settlement and peace.
The fact that Ali and Maduro agreed to meet is a vital and necessary initial step to at least laying a foundation on which a mutually beneficial accord can be forged.
With the US and and its oil conglomerates fully entrenched and immersed in the “Land of many waters”, I am struggling to see how the ICJ will reverse the current status quo to allow Maduro and Venezuela to prevail in any economic way or territorial form.
An unfavorable ICJ ruling will most likely allow Maduro to save political face at home where a supposed 93 percent of the populace back his imperialistic venture.
Continued dialogue in any dispute offers a possibility of a common ground settlement and peace.
The fact that Ali and Maduro agreed to meet is a vital and necessary initial step to at least laying a foundation on which a mutually beneficial accord can be forged.
With the US and and its oil conglomerates fully entrenched and immersed in the “Land of many waters”, I am struggling to see how the ICJ will reverse the current status quo to allow Maduro and Venezuela to prevail in any economic way or territorial form.
An unfavorable ICJ ruling will most likely allow Maduro to save political face and hide at home where a supposed 93 percent of the populace back his imperialistic venture.
Mind certain American interests dont try to assassinate Maduro while he is out of state. They been trying all stunts to overthrow the man to get to his country’s oil.
@If we knew better
MEME would have supported you on this comment. The most anti America blogger DNO had on record…Smart too!
Starboy of Stupidity is grinning from ear to ear because he is happy just to be in the meeting. He cannot contemplate the gravitas, seriousness and consequences of the outcomes of such a meeting because he has so easily relinquished Dominica’s claim to Bird island over to Venezuela for peanuts! Dominica is for too long a country led by a young, ignorant, arrogant, narcissistic fool. Certainly, we can do better that this.
What would you call Ugly Lenny, then I have one for you ” King of stupid idiots”
Good for you, Guyana! Good for you, Irfan Ali!
One makes peace by dialoguing with the enemy/opposing party. It is unlikely that both parties involved would come to an agreement as the two seemingly have entrenched, diametrical opposite positions.
This dispute will most likely be settled by the ruling of the International Court of Justice. Let’s all hope for a peaceful resolution.