Georgetown : President David Granger says he is prepared to meet with Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro who is expected to arrive in Barbados today, with the aim of having the recent decree issued by the neighbouring country’s President withdrawn.
President Granger who arrived in Barbados on Wednesday evening for the 36th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) told reporters on the island that if he is invited to meet with the Venezuelan President he will take up the opportunity. However, he noted that if that meeting is not fruitful in terms of having President Maduro withdraw the decree, his next option will be to look for support from the Commonwealth, the United Nations (UN), the Organisation of American States (OAS) and CARICOM.
Prior to leaving on Wednesday, President Granger had reiterated that the Government of Guyana remains committed to improving relations with Venezuela.
“Guyana remains steadfast, however, in its stand against the several illegal and increasingly militant actions of Venezuela directed against Guyana’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Guyana reasserts that its lawful boundaries that were established 116 years ago are not negotiable. Violation of them on land or at sea is an assault on the tenets of CARICOM and must be condemned as such.” Such message is what will be emphasised at the Heads of Government Conference, the President stated.
Several weeks ago President Maduro issued a decree claiming sovereignty over Guyana’s territorial waters in the Atlantic Ocean off the Essequibo region. Maps created after the decree by Venezuela’s National Organisation for Rescue and Maritime Safety (ONSA), a non-governmental organisation comprising merchants, sports and retired naval officers, indicate that the claim would include a large part of the Stabroek Block, where US firm ExxonMobil discovered oil recently. Exxon’s Liza-1 well is sited off the Demerara coast.
President Granger has viewed Venezuela’s claim as a “legal absurdity” given the fact that the matter was settled 165 years ago. The Guyanese Head of State has said that the decree is in breach of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
ExxonMobil, on May 20 disclosed that it found a deposit of a 'significant' amount of oil in the Stabroek Block, about 120 nautical miles offshore Guyana. Shortly after this announcement, the territorial claim was made by Venezuela.
You must be logged in to post a comment.