The Parliamentary Opposition yesterday said that it totally rejected the action taken by Venezuela to create an entity, the “integral defence zone” called “Guayana Esequiba.”
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro made this and other announcements on Tuesday afternoon in relation to Essequibo following a controversial referendum on Sunday.
In a statement yesterday, the opposition said that this development is not only “abhorrent but has dangerous implications for the existing territorial controversy and represents a flouting of the recent decision of the International Court of Justice (ICJ). Above all this represents a major threat to the peace and stability of the region”.
The Parliamentary Opposition called on the local, regional and the international community not only to reject this reckless action but also to denounce it in clear and unambiguous terms.
“The world must understand and reject the `integral defence zone’ called `Guayana Esequiba’ represents not only a violation of the charter of the United Nations, international law and practice but also sets a dangerous precedent, which is potentially destabilizing for the Latin American and Caribbean region.
“It must be clear that the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has embarked on a dangerous and destabilizing exercise. The Government and people of Guyana have done nothing to provoke this aggression from its western neighbour. On the contrary, it has pursued a policy of peace as it has sought to resolve the territorial controversy with Venezuela…”, the statement said.
It cited instruments such as the Geneva Agreement, the Protocol of Port of Spain, the Good Officer Process, the enhanced Good Officer Process and finally, the ICJ.
Noting that the validity of the 1899 Award which delimited the boundary between the two countries and which Caracas now considers to be null and void is before the ICJ at the present time, the statement said that instead of allowing the judicial process to take its course, Venezuela has engaged in the naked act of aggression against the people of Guyana.
“The Parliamentary Opposition calls on the Government and people of Guyana to stand resolute in the face of Venezuelan aggression and to take all necessary measures to reject the false `integral defence zone’ called `Guayana Esequiba.’ The Parliamentary Opposition is convinced that it is past time for there to be an established programme of robust diplomacy by which the people of Guyana can defend itself against this attempt to undermine the nation’s integrity and sovereignty”, the statement added.
