Granger wants Cuban backing on border controversy with Venezuela
President David Granger has asked for Cuba’s backing as Guyana looks to pursue a legal settlement of the border controversy with Venezuela.
President Granger is due to meet with the United Nations Secretary General and the Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro this evening at the United Nations headquarters. Mr Granger would be asking Mr Ban to send the controversy to the International Court of Justice in The Hague.
Cuba and Venezuela are strong allies, and following a meeting with Cuba President Raul Castro, Mr Granger said he hoped the weight of Cuba could be brought to bear in helping to resolve the controversy.
“We are aware that Cuba is very close to Venezuela and we would certainly want Cuba to use its influence to exercise and moderating influence on Venezuela so that we can bring this controversy to an end as quickly as possible,” the President said after his meeting with Castro.
The meeting is among several bilateral meetings the President is having on the margins of the 70th United Nations General Assembly and he is using every meeting to make world leaders aware of the controversy.
“The Foreign Minister and I will take every opportunity to present Guyana’s interest and to make sure that this obnoxious claim on our territory is removed so we can get ahead with our development,” Mr Granger.
“Guyana has lost territory to Venezuela, as you know, in the 1899 tribunal award and we want to get ahead with our development and we believe that Cuba’s weight in the Caribbean could influence the outcome in ensuring that the Caribbean remains a zone of peace,” the President stated.
By Neil Marks in New York
