Venezuela border issue … Guyana will continue to pursue diplomatic option as first line of defence - President in address to Parliament
Written by Gina Webmasters, Published in News, Georgetown, GINA, July 9, 2015, Source
President David Granger has reiterated that diplomacy will remain Guyana’s first option as the country stands resolute against all forms of aggression as Guyana will remain wedded to the ideal of peace.
“We have never, as an independent state, provoked or used aggression against any other nation, we have never used our political clout to veto development projects in another country,” President Granger said. He was the time addressing the National Assembly today on the territorial claims made by Venezuela.
President Granger said, Guyana has never discouraged investors willing to invest in another country, never stymied development of another nation state and as such “does not expect and will we condone, any country attempting to do the same to us.”
In this light the Head of State said he will be looking forward to the support of the National Assembly as the country defends its right to exist, right to development, sovereignty and territorial integrity.
President Granger drew to the attention of the House that Guyana has never used aggression against any State, as it has always embraced the principle of the peaceful settlement of disputes.
However, he noted that in as much being a peace-loving nation, “We will not allow our territorial integrity to be threatened or violated, we consider Decree 1.787 as constituting an act of aggression against Guyana.”
In response to the decree, the government has already sought the solidarity of the regional and international community. The Commonwealth was one of the communities to express its support for Guyana, as a statement was issued in which the Secretary General reaffirmed the Commonwealth’s “unequivocal support for the maintenance and preservation of Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
The Secretary-General stated that “The Commonwealth remains steadfast in its support for the Government and people of Guyana.” Guyana has also thus far secured the support of CARICOM as they too have issued a statement saying that they stand steadfast behind Guyana.
“I have just returned from the 36th Regular Meeting of the Conference of the Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community, I am pleased to report that support for Guyana was overwhelming.”
The President informed the National Assembly of his meeting with a number of leaders of the Region and the fact that they have all pledged their continued support for Guyana.
In the Final CommuniquÉ issued by the Conference, the Heads indicated their deep concern over the decree because of its implications not only for Guyana but also for a number of other Caribbean states.
Venezuela has replaced Decree 1.787 with Decree No. 1.859, and according to President Granger while this new decree “does not contain the coordinates of Decree No. 1.787, it does contain a general description of all the defence zones, with the description of Eastern, Central, and Western regions, remaining consistent with previous versions of the Decree. It goes further to state that these ‘defence zones’ are spaces created to plan and execute integral defense operations. This portion remains offensive to Guyana since there continues to be a threat of the use of force in these areas,” he stated.
“The Co-operative Republic of Guyana therefore rejects the description of its maritime territory as a ‘defence zone’ of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.”
The President pointed out that Venezuela’s claims to over 150,000 km² of Guyana’s land-space and a large part of its hydrospace have their origins in its rejection of the 1899 Award of the international tribunal as a nullity. The land boundary, subsequent to the award, was surveyed and the details embodied on maps and certified by agreement of January 10, 1905.
President Granger added that Guyana continues to seek friendly relations with its Continental neighbours and the Caribbean Community to develop its resources for the benefit of its people.
“Guyana has no interest or intention to be aggressive towards Venezuela, a country of 912,050 km2, more than four times the size of Guyana; a country with a population of more than forty times that of Guyana; a country with armed forces, the National Bolivarian Armed Forces, with more than twenty times as many members as Guyana’s Defence Force.”
The Guyanese Head of State then questioned, “How can Guyana launch an aggression against Venezuela?”
He added that his Government and all of Guyana expects the Venezuelan Government to observe, fully, the 1897 Treaty, the 1899 Arbitral Award, the 1905 demarcation of the boundary between Guyana and Venezuela pursuant to the Arbitral Award, the 1966 Agreement and other formally ratified documents between the two states.
“Our objective in the short term is to have all threats withdrawn; we shall be seeking a permanent juridical solution under the auspices of the Geneva Agreement and under international law, in the long term.”
On May 26th Venezuela’s President Nicolas Madura issued a decree which was followed by a map, generated by the National Organisation for Rescue and Maritime Safety of the Aquatic Areas of Venezuela, showing that the claim would encompass a large part of the maritime zone sited off the Demerara coast in which the US firm ExxonMobil discovered oil earlier in 2015.
This move, the President said, is intended to block Guyana’s development and stymie growth as it has been doing for the past 50 years.
In addition to the decree, President Maduro also announced the recall of Venezuela’s Ambassador to Guyana, for consultations, his decision to reduce the Venezuelan embassy staff in Georgetown and his directive to the Foreign Minister to review diplomatic relations with Guyana. END
