BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS – THE long-standing border issue between two of the Federation’s allies – Guyana and Venezuela - could be resolved by the end of this year.
Ban Ki-Moon, United Nations General-Secretary has pledged to bring an end to the problem that has once again surfaced.
Shortly after Guyana’s May 16, 2015 General Elections, American oil exploration company Exxon signalled positive oil finds within the country’s territorial waters.
But the country’s Spanish-speaking neighbour laid claim to that block of water just off the coast of its capital, Georgetown, and two-thirds of the land space.
During the recently concluded 71st Session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Guyana’s President David Granger said he is constrained to state that all their efforts -nationally, regionally and globally - for the advancement of development “in an environment of peace and stability are being challenged by the territorial ambitions of our neighbours, the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela”.
He explained that Guyana celebrated its 50th anniversary of Independence this year and “Venezuela, regrettably, acknowledged this anniversary by reasserting its repudiation of a border treaty it had solemnly signed over 117 years ago and ratified and respected for 60 of those years”.
“I addressed this Assembly last year and warned of the danger Venezuela posed to the peace and security of our region not by its internal instability but by its external assault on Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Granger noted.
Venezuela, on the other hand, stands firm on its beliefs that two-thirds of Guyana land mass belong to that country and it has been calling for mediation in the matter.
The UN Secretary-General gave his assurance that the issue would be resolved before he vacates office later this year.
“I am satisfied with what the Secretary-General has done; I am not satisfied that the Bolivarian Republic has acted in good faith. It is clear that much more needs to be done by Venezuela if this matter is to be resolved…” the Caribbean Media Corporation quoted President Granger as saying at the meeting with Ban Ki-Moon.
Both countries are awaiting a judicial review on the matter.
