Guyana, Venezuela recommit to the Geneva Agreement, Good Offices Process
GUYANA’S Minister of Foreign Affairs Carolyn Rodrigues-Birkett and Venezuela’s Minister of External Relations, Nicolás Maduro Moros, met Friday in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, in order to review several matters of mutual interest, including the Good Offices Process. The meeting was in the wake of media reports from Venezuela condemning Guyana’s submission of a claim to extend the country’s continental shelf.
Venezuela is making the accusation that Guyana failed to inform them of their plans to make the claim, an accusation that Guyana rejected.
But according to a joint statement issued Friday at the conclusion of the Trinidad meet, “The Ministers expressed satisfaction with the excellent relations that have developed between the two States, and reiterated their commitment to maintaining that level of relations.”
According to the statement, the ministers acknowledged that relations between Guyana and Venezuela are at an historically high level and are characterized by respect, fraternity and solidarity, and conceded that both countries have developed cooperation projects in various areas and consolidated their integration schemes such as the Union of South American Nations (UNASUR) PetroCaribe and the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC),  convinced that the bonds that unite them go beyond the legacy of division inherited from colonialism.
“In discussing Guyana’s submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, Guyana stated that it recognised the right of the Government of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to make its views known to the Commission. The two ministers agreed that their respective facilitators will discuss issues related to Guyana’s submission and report to their respective Governments,” the statement said.
It said that both ministers recognised that the delimitation of the maritime boundaries between their two States remain an outstanding issue, and agreed that such delimitation will require negotiations.
“Recognising that the controversy in relation to the 1899 Arbitral Award about the frontier between Guyana and Venezuela still exists, the ministers reaffirmed their commitment to the Geneva Agreement and the Good Offices Process.  The ministers recognised that this controversy is a legacy of colonialism and must be resolved.  The ministers briefed the Personal Representative of the United Nations Secretary General, Prof. Norman Girvan, on their discussions,” the statement said.
Both ministers also thanked the Government of Trinidad and Tobago for the excellent arrangements put in place to facilitate their meeting.
Accompanying Minister Rodrigues-Birkett to the meeting Friday were Messrs. Ralph Ramkarran, S.C., Guyana’s Facilitator in the Good Offices Process of the United Nations Secretary-General, and Mr. Keith George, Director of the Frontiers Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.