The Government of Brazil maintains that the 1899 arbitral settlement of the Guyana/Venezuela Border is final and must be respected.
Following his attendance at the recently concluded MERCOSUR Summit held in Brazil, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge said Guyana’s South American neighbour has been updated on Venezuela’s continuing contention that the 1899 Award is null and void, and remains resolute to its original position.
“The matter was raised with Brazil as per normal. As neighbours, we always have exchanges on this. The president gave them an update as to where we are, and Brazil has not indicated any movement from its traditional position, which is that the boundaries of the sub-continent should remain where they are”, Greenidge told the Department of Public Information (DPI).
In addition, Greenidge said Guyana is awaiting the final decision of the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, who undertook to have the matter sent to the World Court, should there be a failure to have an amicable settlement between Guyana and Venezuela.
“The UN Secretary-General has been asked to choose from a menu of measures and he is still with that. In the meantime, the personal representative has been doing the rounds between ourselves and Venezuela”, Greenidge added.
Following a more than 20-year mediation process and no resolution, Guyana has lobbied the U.N. for the border controversy between itself and Venezuela to be taken to the International Court of Justice for settlement. The, then outgoing Secretary-General, Ban Ki Moon had requested until the end of 2017 to have the matter settled; failing this the matter would be referred to the International Court of Justice.
