Guyana says Venezuelan claim is threat to its survival
Friday, July 24, 2015 | 3:20 PM, Source
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) â Guyana's territorial dispute with Venezuela represents a threat to its very survival, President David Granger warned Friday at a meeting in Washington.
After a recent offshore oil find, a border dispute between the two countries has escalated, with Venezuela laying claim to a huge swathe of Guyana's territory.
"Guyana at the moment is facing a challenge to its survival by a larger state," Granger told guests at the William Perry Center of Hemispheric Defense Studies.
Caracas has laid claim to waters off the Essequibo region that would include the oil find. The region straddles the two countries and Venezuela disputes the settlement of the border drawn through the 215,000 square kilometer (83,000 square mile) region.
Granger warned the conflict could spill over to the rest of the region if not dealt with quickly.
"The present threat, if not resolved promptly, if not resolved permanently, if not resolved peacefully could lead to deterioration of the security situation in the entire Caribbean and on the northern tier of the south American continent," he said.
"This is too much to bear for a country with fewer than a million people."
Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro has blamed America, including oil company Exxon Mobil, for provoking the conflict.
He recalled his ambassador earlier this month. Guyana has asked for the United Nations to help resolve the border dispute.
