A meeting between President Irfaan Ali of Guyana and President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela is underway in St Vincent and the Grenadines.
The meeting is occurring in the presence of CARICOM Heads and observers from the UN, Brazil and CELAC.
Closed door meetings got underway this morning in St Vincent and the Grenadines involving delegations from Guyana and Venezuela on the tensions connected to the border controversy between the two countries with observers and interlocutors from CARICOM, Brazil, CELAC and the United Nations.
CARICOM heads who attended these talks to help ease the crisis in relations between Guyana and Venezuela have held a meeting.
The CARICOM Heads in attendance include Prime Minister Ralph Gonsalves from St Vincent, Prime Minister Keith Rowley from Trinidad and Tobago, Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley and Prime Minister of The Bahamas Philip Davis.
The Guyana Government has since provided the following update:
In the first phase of the engagement at Argyle Airport St. Vincent & the Grenadines, President Ali met with a number of CARICOM heads where he made a presentation reiterating our fundamental position in accepting the invitation to participate in the engagement i.e. that the border controversy with which the International Court of Justice is seized is not up for discussion, negotiation or deliberation.. Guyana’s position is and will remain that the controversy must be resolved at and by the ICJ. President Ali reminded CARICOM that the referral of this matter to the ICJ is consistent with and pursuant to the Geneva Agreement.
President Ali further reiterated emphatically that Guyana’s only intention is to pursue a course that will secure and ensure peace and stability in our region and respect for Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity .
President Ali further reminded that the Chair and other leaders of Caricom concurred with Guyana ‘s position.
President Ali also noted the consistency of CARICOM’s position that all parties must abide by International Law, respect the outcome of the ICJ process and desist from the threat/ or use of force.
President Ali made it clear to CARICOM Heads that matters consequential have nothing to do with the ICJ case or matters connected therewith.
In the 2nd phase of the talks President Ali and President Maduro will meet across the table with CARICOM, CELAC, Brazil and UN observers.
