Guyana still awaiting UN SG’s decision on controversy with Venezuela

DPI, GUYANA, Monday, January 22, 2018

As Guyana awaits a decision from the United Nation’s Secretary-General (SG) on the Guyana/Venezuela controversy, Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge said the SG is aware of the urgency for a resolution.

In a recent interview with local media, Minister Greenidge noted, “We are still waiting on the Secretary-General to carry out his responsibilities.”

Through the SG’s personal representative, Norwegian diplomat Dag Nylander, Guyana and Venezuela concluded another round of discussions in November 2017. Nylander had to submit his reports on the talks to the SG at the end of December 2017 before a decision is handed down.

Guyana is holding out for a final resolution of the decades-old controversy in which Venezuela contends the 1899 Arbitral Award, which delineated the border between the South American countries, is null and void.

“We are pretty sure that the Secretary-General is aware of the urgency of this matter and of the fact that when the Guyana government called on him to intervene it wasn’t only because Venezuelan troops were on our borders but because of the continuation of this controversy… was having a deleterious effect on Guyana and its growth,” Minister Greenidge said.

The SG has committed to having the matter heard in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) if there was no satisfactory resolution to the dialogue. Guyana has prepared to litigate the matter at the ICJ and has since set aside funds to pay its legal team to defend its territorial integrity.

 

By: Tiffny Rhodius

 

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