While maintaining that Guyana is committed to peaceful relations with its neighbours, President Irfaan Ali on Friday assured residents that Essequibo would not be used as a “sacrificial lamb” for negotiations to resolve Venezuela’s internal political issues.
“We will not be bullied,” Ali told residents at a meeting in Anna Regina as he and Cabinet began an outreach to Region Two.
His comments came in wake of a new agreement this week by Venezuela’s government and its joint opposition to press their longstanding claim to Essequibo.
Guyana’s government and the main opposition have both rejected the announced claim.
In addressing the issue on Friday, Ali emphasised that government is committed to resolving the border controversy between the two countries via the International court of Justice (ICJ), which has ruled that it has jurisdiction to hear the case.
“That is where all the efforts are concentrated. There are no sides, no propaganda. What matters is the court. None of that matters. What matters is the court and that is where Guyana is. We have always respected the rule of law and are always guided and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the neighbours. We will do so in a peaceful manner” Ali said.
“We are committed to living peacefully with all our neighbours. We are committed to working and strengthening our relationship with all our neighbours. We are committed to democracy…in the rule of law and integrity and we don’t waver on principles,” he added, while noting that the international community and CARICOM have been supportive of Guyana’s efforts to secure a juridical resolution of the controversy.
Venezuela has sought to claim most of Guyana’s Atlantic waters, which includes the offshore Stabroek Block, where ExxonMobil is leading oil production.
Following news that a partial agreement on Monday during talks in Mexico City between Venezuela’s government and opposition representatives included reference to a “historic and inalienable” claim to Guyana’s Essequibo region, the government rejected the accord and said an agreement defying international law and process is not a basis for mediating harmony.
Meanwhile, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hugh Todd, who was also present for the Anna Regina meeting, told Essequibians to rest assured that there is no uncertainty in the minds of Guyanese and the international community relating to Venezuela’s claim.
“The claim is baseless and totally contrary to what they had agreed to. We had several processes that we have gone through so that Venezuela and Guyana can settled the boundaries once and for all… and we want to move on… we will prove that the boundaries lines that were drawn is final,” Todd said.
Following an application by Guyana, the ICJ last December ruled that it has jurisdiction to determine the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Award on the frontier between Guyana and Venezuela
The Court – the principal judicial organ of the United Nations – also declared that it could address the related question of the definitive settlement of the land boundary controversy between the two territories.
However, Venezuela has chosen not to participate in the case.
