VINCENTIAN Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves, as Chair of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the longest-serving leader of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), has invited Guyana’s and Venezuela’s leaders to meet in St. Vincent & The Grenadines on Thursday, December 14, for talks.
Interested in peaceful resolution of conflicts and also mindful of the Venezuelan leadership’s words and actions at home, Guyana has agreed to the meeting on the clear understanding that there’s no change in our position that the Essequibo is ours and the matter of the border controversy remains properly before the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
As President Dr Irfaan Ali has so often reiterated, Guyana continues to insist that the only resolution is through the ICJ. Guyana cannot dictate to Venezuela, but ICJ rulings are binding on United Nations (UN) member-states and the expectation is that Caracas will comply.
Guyana is going to the talks ready to listen to whatever is new and President Ali is going with national consensus, while the Government of Guyana is continuing its peaceful mobilisation for defence at home and with all our allies and friends, internationally and regionally.
Guyana continues to be assured that our just cause in the unjust controversy has support of all right-thinking governments and people that understand the ultimate cost of a useless war between traditionally friendly neighbours that will have implications and effects far beyond their borders.
Brazil has joined the CELAC chair’s latest peaceful initiative because it too is concerned, as are other neighbours of Guyana and Venezuela — Suriname, French Guiana, Bolivia, Colombia and Peru, as well as other members of the Organization of American States (OAS) and The Americas (North and South).
The sane world is willing to call a spade a spade by insisting that this matter cannot be solved by a referendum or by force, especially by an administration that selects what international bodies to adhere to and what conventions and protocols to follow.
Guyana will also continue all its current engagements with partners and allies in pursuit of peaceful defence diplomacy, but the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) remains the sole beacon of scope we depend on for accurate information as to if and when movements along our common border become sufficiently a national security risk or threat to alert the nation accordingly.
But it’s also the solemn duty of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, the Chief-of-Staff and all divisional commanders to ensure the nation’s safety and security in testing times such as these, which is why the government and its national defence and security apparatus have moved resolutely to gather and harness political, diplomatic and defence support, from near and far, all of which have been resounding and assuring.
Venezuela’s aggressive stance and accompanying tactical military movements are being monitored by neighbouring armies and defence and security apparatuses.
But Guyana cannot afford to gamble on trying to wonder what’s in President Maduro’s head, which is why the government is taking maximum caution to ensure that the nation’s sovereignty and independence are protected at and to the highest possible levels.
Ever supportive of peaceful solutions to conflicts, Guyana goes to St. Vincent & The Grenadines on Thursday to listen and talk about peace.
