BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – GUYANA’S Head of State, His Excellency David Granger has rejected Venezuela’s claim to five-eighths of that country’s territory and called on the United Nations to pay special attention to monitoring the security situation of small vulnerable states, which is in keeping with its Charter.
President Granger was at the time (Sept. 29) delivering his address at the 70th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York.
He told the delegates, including UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, that there has been a series of act of aggression by the present and past Presidents of Venezuela.
“From the time of President Raúl Leoni Otero’s Decree No. 1153 of June 15, 1968 to the time of President Nicolas Maduro Moras’ Decree of May 26, 2015, Venezuela, more than four times the size of Guyana with armed forces that are more than 40 times of the Guyana Defence Force, mindful in superior wealth and military strength, but unmindful of its obligations of member state of the United Nations, of the member state of the Union of South American Nations and as a member state of the Organisation of American States, Venezuela has pursued the path of intimidation and aggression.”
Granger declared that Venezuela is unsettling a settled border and that it is destabilising a stable region of the globe by the use of armed force against a peaceful small state.
He pointed out that Venezuela aims to retard Guyana’s development by threats which are intended to force a small state to yield its birthright.
“Venezuela’s expansionist ambitions cannot be allowed to unsettle the principle of inviolability of borders to undermine the tenets of international law and to unravel borders which have been undisturbed for decades,” he added.
The Guyanese President said his country was seeking a permanent solution to the border dispute, which is consistent with the United Nations Charter.
“Guyana does not wish that this obnoxious territorial claim should obscure the prospect of peace and obstruct the possible growth of our country for the next 50 years. We need a permanent solution in order to avoid the fate of perpetual peril and penury. Guyana seeks a juridical settlement to this controversy.
“Guyana reposes its faith, Guyana places its faith in the international system of peace that was promised by the Charter of United Nations nearly 70 years ago. We want to bring an end to Venezuelan aggression. We want to develop our country, all of our country, in accordance with international law.”
Directing his remarks to the UN Secretary-General, Granger stressed that Guyana, a small state, is just under 50 years old and is being bullied by the much larger and powerful Venezuela.
“Guyana is a small state, Guyana is a new state, Guyana is a product of the post World War ll promise of peace. Guyana is a child of the United Nations. Guyana will, eight months from now on May 26, 2016, mark the 50th anniversary of its independence. But for 50 years, Mr. President, our small country has been prevented from fully exploiting our rich natural resources. Venezuela has threatened and deterred investors and frustrated our economic development.
“For 50 years our territorial integrity has been violated by Venezuela which has occupied a part of our territory; the most recent incident being on October 10, 2013 when it sent a naval corvette into our maritime zone and expelled a peaceful petroleum exploration vessel which was conducting seismic surveys.”
President Granger also said that for 50 years Venezuela has promulgated spurious decrees claiming Guyana’s territory.
“The most recent,” he pointed out “being on May 26, our independence anniversary, when it issued Decree No. 1787 with specified coordinates purporting to annex almost our entire maritime zone. That Decree constituted the reassertion of its claim to five of Guyana’s ten regions.”
The President of the only English-speaking country in South America categorically stated that Guyana had rejected and continues to reject the threats and claims by Venezuela, which are in defiance of international law.
“Guyana resists Venezuela’s acts of aggression in defiance of the Charter of the United Nations which prescribes the peaceful settlement of disputes and proscribes the use of armed force,” he added.
Venezuela’s border claim is said to be one of the biggest challenges being faced by the Granger Administration since taking office following the May 11, 2015 General Elections.
Shortly after it was announced this year by US-owned ExxonMobil that a significant quantity of oil was discovered in the Stabroek Block, approximately 120 miles offshore Guyana, Venezuela immediately moved to take control of two-thirds of Essequibo, the largest county, and parts of the maritime area, including where the oil well was discovered.
Reportedly, Venezuela also recalled its ambassador and in recent weeks started to assemble its troops close to Guyana’s western border, including gunboats within the Cayuni River.
According to Kaieteur News, “Trade between the two countries is also being threatened with an oil-for-rice deal not likely to continue after November, unless Venezuela does an about turn.”
However, on Sunday (Sept. 27), in an UN-brokered meeting chaired by the Secretary General, Venezuela agreed to return its ambassador for talks and to approve Guyana’s designated envoy to that country.
