VENEZUELA is now reportedly moderating its language in an attempt to mask its illegal actions in regard to unilaterally usurping control over Guyana’s territory, but the Guyana Government is not being influenced by Venezuela’s supposedly changed disposition.

Government’s resolute intention is that, despite the new approach by its Western neighbour, the two countries are now expected “to join in our approach to the UN (United Nations) Secretary General.”

The emerging situation having been ventilated in the media and in other public circles in recent days. Foreign Affairs Minister, Vice President Carl Greenidge, on the first sitting of the 11th Parliament this past week, lambasted the Venezuelan Government over what he called a “shameless”, “baseless” and downright “illegal” claim to Essequibo and its Atlantic Shelf.

Following Minister Greenidge’s reaffirmation of Guyana’s sovereignty over the Essequibo Region and its corresponding Atlantic Shelf, the Venezuelan Government, on Friday, said it “welcomes the recent statements by Guyanese Foreign Minister Carl Greenidge”, who assured that Guyana “has decided to benefit from the joint 1966 Geneva Agreement.”

Guyana and Venezuela have both inked the United Nations’ 1966 Geneva Agreement, which allows for arbitration by the UN Secretary General in disputes between states.

This past week, Minister Greenidge also reasserted Guyana’s reliance – as does the rest of the world – on the Arbitration Award of 1899, which settled borders between the two South American nations.

According to Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Minister, in reasserting its baseless claim to the Essequibo, Venezuela has now elevated to fact its consternation with the validity of that award.
“Based on its groundless legal origin, Venezuela maintains its position to consider the Arbitration Award of 1899 null and void,” Guyana’s Foreign Minister has said.

The Guyana Foreign Affairs Ministry is of the position “that contrary to Venezuela’s recent restatement of events, the statement by Minister Greenidge to Parliament on Thursday, June 10, 2015, made it clear that it is Venezuela’s claim of nullity of the 1889 Arbitral Award which is the root of the problem, and which has to be resolved under the procedures provided for in the Geneva Agreement.”

The Foreign Affairs Ministry has since stated that Guyana has not adopted any recent or new decision to respect the Geneva Agreement.
“It (Guyana) has always said it would, and indeed has, always respected that agreement.”

The Foreign Affairs Minister reminded, too, that the Geneva Agreement makes no provision for the non-development of any part of Guyana, or for Venezuela’s unilateral annexation of any part of Guyana, including the Essequibo.

A Presidential decree made on May 26 last under the hand of the leader of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, now claims just over two-thirds of Guyana’s territory, including its offshore jurisdiction.

The Guyana Government swiftly responded to the situation by dismissing the Maduro decree, saying it “cannot be applicable to any part of Guyana’s territory, and any attempt by the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to apply that instrument in an extra-territorial manner will be vigorously resisted by the Cooperative Republic of Guyana.”

The Government of Guyana has since indicated that the purported statement made by the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry “merely seeks to mask Venezuela’s illegal action… More specifically, it seeks to imply agreement with Guyana’s position as set out in Foreign Minister Greenidge’s Statement at the Opening of Parliament.”

According to Foreign Affairs Minister Greenidge, “We therefore expect them (Venezuela) now to join in our approach to the UN Secretary General under the Geneva Agreement for a judicial settlement of their questioning of the validity of the 1899 Award – as made clear in the Minister’s Statement.”

Minister Greenidge has said, “Finality in this matter by due process of international law as proposed by Guyana will be a gift to future generations in both countries.”

Addressing members of the National Assembly in the presence of scores of international representatives, including Venezuelan Ambassador to Guyana, Reina Diaz, Minister Greenidge emphasised that the Arbitral Award of 1899 has definitively established the boundary between Guyana and Venezuela.

The Foreign Affairs Minister, in updating the House, said: “We have been in contact with several members of the international community, and have made special approaches to other member states of the Caribbean and of the Commonwealth, from whom we have consistently received support in the past for our just cause.”

Other steps, he said, are being taken to ensure that Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity are not compromised in any way, and that “our sovereign right to develop this great country free from threats and acts of economic aggression remains untramelled.”

Minister Greenidge said, “For 49 years we have lived in the shadow of Venezuela’s illegal claim and attempts to despoil our country…The Sword of Damocles, for the most part unseen, nevertheless hangs over our heads; unless removed, it will be the legacy that will be inherited by our children. It is time to end this cycle.”

 
By Gary Eleazar