‘We will not be bullied’ -Ali says Guyana will continue to be guided by Int’l Court on Venezuela claim to E’quibo

Topics

Django

President Irfaan Ali addressing residents of Anna Regina, in Region Two. Seated beside him is Minister of Foreign Affairs Hugh Todd

President Irfaan Ali addressing residents of Anna Regina, in Region Two. Seated beside him is Minister of Foreign Affairs Hugh Todd

September 11 ,2021

Source

While maintaining that Guyana is committed to peaceful relations with its neighbours, President Irfaan Ali on Friday assured residents that Essequibo would not be used as a “sacrificial lamb” for negotiations to resolve Venezuela’s internal political issues.

“We will not be bullied,” Ali told residents at a meeting in Anna Regina as he and Cabinet began an outreach to Region Two.

His comments came in wake of a new agreement this week by Venezuela’s government and its joint opposition to press their longstanding claim to Essequibo.

Guyana’s government and the main opposition have both rejected the announced claim.

In addressing the issue on Friday, Ali emphasised that government is committed to resolving the border controversy between the two countries via the International court of Justice (ICJ), which has ruled that it has jurisdiction to hear the case.

“That is where all the efforts are concentrated. There are no sides, no propaganda. What matters is the court. None of that matters. What matters is the court and that is where Guyana is. We have always respected the rule of law and are always guided and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the neighbours. We will do so in a peaceful manner” Ali said.

“We are committed to living peacefully with all our neighbours. We are committed to working and strengthening our relationship with all our neighbours. We are committed to democracy…in the rule of law and integrity and we don’t waver on principles,” he added, while noting that the international community and CARICOM have been supportive of Guyana’s efforts to secure a juridical resolution of the controversy.

Venezuela has sought to claim most of Guyana’s Atlantic waters, which includes the offshore Stabroek Block, where ExxonMobil is leading oil production.

Following news that a partial agreement on Monday during talks in Mexico City between Venezuela’s government and opposition representatives included reference to a “historic and inalienable” claim to Guyana’s Essequibo region, the government rejected the accord and said an agreement defying international law and process is not a basis for mediating harmony.

Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hugh Todd, who was also present for the Anna Regina meeting, told Essequibians to rest assured that there is no uncertainty in the minds of Guyanese and the international community relating to Venezuela’s claim.

“The claim is baseless and totally contrary to what they had agreed to. We had several processes that we have gone through so that Venezuela and Guyana can settled the boundaries once and for all… and we want to move on… we will prove that the boundaries lines that were drawn is final,” Todd said.

Following an application by Guyana, the ICJ last December ruled that it has jurisdiction to determine the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award on the frontier between Guyana and Venezuela

The Court – the principal judicial organ of the United Nations – also declared that it could address the related question of the definitive settlement of the land boundary controversy between the two territories.

However, Venezuela has chosen not to participate in the case.

Replies sorted oldest to newest

Former Member

President Ali to inform regional heads, UN about Venezuela’s latest accord on border controversy

Sep 13, 2021 News, Kaieteur News Online - https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...-border-controversy/

Kaieteur News – His Excellency, Dr. Irfaan Ali, plans to formally notify heads of government in the region about the accord made between the Government of Venezuela and its opposition last week in Mexico City.
He told the media yesterday afternoon that he would also inform the mediators of the meeting about the “controversial” accord.

The President is expected to brief CARICOM heads during a virtual Special Emergency Meeting today. He has also promised to update the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) during an upcoming meeting in Mexico and the United Nations, via its Secretary General António Guterres.

During the meeting last Monday, the opposing Venezuelan politicians agreed to press their long-standing claim over Essequibo.

The Government of Guyana, through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on Tuesday, September 7, stating that the agreement “is an overt threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana,” and that “Guyana cannot be used as an altar of sacrifice for settlement of Venezuela’s internal political differences” since the matter is with the pertinent authority.

JURISDICTION
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled last December that it has jurisdiction to decide Guyana’s claim against Venezuela that the boundary between the two States was fixed in an 1899 Arbitral Award.

Venezuela is opposed to the ICJ and its ruling.

Guyana is however seeking to obtain a final and binding judgement that will clearly state that the Essequibo region is indisputably part of this country.

President Ali yesterday said the ruling is the law, and that Guyana would see it through. “We have embraced that route, which is the ICJ and we’re committed to that route. That route is the rule of law and that is where the matter resides, not in any sideshow or any other engagement.”

The President said the countries that arranged the meeting to resolve Venezuela’s internal issues, should understand that the controversial agreement is anything but internal.

“The controversy that exists on the border has nothing to do with their internal issues and it has already been determined where that issue would be settled, and it’s the ICJ, what we can ask those countries (the mediators of last week’s meeting) to do, is to encourage Venezuela to participate and be active with the ICJ.”

9/13/212:08 PM

Former Member

Border controversy to form part of President’s address to UN General Assembly

By Editor On Sep 18, 2021 Last updated Sep 17, 2021, Source - https://newsroom.gy/2021/09/18...un-general-assembly/

President Dr Irfaan Ali will be making his first in-person presentation at the 76th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) next Thursday, and the ongoing border controversy between Guyana and Venezuela is expected to be one of the focal points in his address, according to Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud.

Only recently, the Guyanese leader had cause to firmly reiterate that Guyana will not be used as a ‘sacrificial lamb’ in Venezuela’s internal politics.

The President was forced to restate the country’s claim to its sovereignty after an agreement was signed by the Heads of Delegation of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Unity Platform of Venezuela in Mexico City on September 6, 2021. It is essentially Venezuela’s government and opposition uniting on the country’s claim to Guyana oil-rich Essequibo and is seen even by the government as an overt threat to the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Guyana.

The controversy is that Venezuela is maintaining a claim to some 70 per cent of Guyana’s land- the Essequibo region including Guyana’s offshore oil reserves – the country is arguing that the 1899 agreement, which determined the boundaries between the two countries is null and void.

After other engagements failed, Guyana approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to seek a final, binding judgment on the 1899 Arbitral Award that determines that boundary between Guyana and Venezuela. Simply, Guyana is trying to get a final judgment that the Essequibo region does indeed belong to Guyana and not Venezuela.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Secretary told the News Room on Friday that during the high-level visit to the UN Headquarters in New York, the Head of State will also be engaging in bilaterals with a host of top officials including the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres and the Secretary-General of the Organisation of American States (OAS), Luis Almagro.

Persaud outlined too that President Ali will also be meeting with the President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Mauricio J. Claver-Carone along with the Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) Dr. Yousef Al-Othaimeen.

“… In addition to that, there are a number of other functions and activities that the President will be participating in based on the growing interest [that] the international community has in terms of what is taking place in Guyana, both economically and given our increasing role so this visit certainly will be a very important one,” the Foreign Secretary added.

“His participation will certainly lift the country’s profile and allow the country to advance its foreign policy agenda, the many facets of it.”

Since its inception, the UN General Assembly has been a forum for lofty declarations and rigorous debate over the world’s most vexing issues, from poverty and development to peace and security. This year’s session will commemorate the 75^th anniversary of the UN’s founding.

Underpinning this year’s agenda is the theme of multilateralism.

World leaders are expected to debate issues including the global response to the coronavirus pandemic and sustainable development. Discussions on climate change, biodiversity, and nuclear disarmament are also on the agenda.

9/18/211:38 PM