Guyana’s case for ICJ ‘in good hands’ – Sir Shridath Ramphal

DPI, GUYANA, Thursday, March 22, 2018

Guyana’s legal team is currently preparing a memorial to submit to the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in relation to the longstanding controversy with neighbouring Venezuela.

Today, Prime Minister (ag) and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Greenidge, said the legal team has been in discussion with the relevant authorities in their preparation. “It’s a process that is in train. It has not yet been submitted to the ICJ but it will be shortly”, he said.

The minister was responding to questions from the media at the launch of ‘Guyana Our Own’, a song that provides information on the Guyana Venezuela controversy and forms part of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ public awareness campaign on the issue.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Advisor on the controversy, Sir Shridath Ramphal expressed his confidence in Guyana’s legal team, “the case is in good hands. It is in the hands of the same team that won the judicial proceeding with Suriname. We’re going to work again to finish the job.”

Earlier this year, the United Nations Secretary-General, António Guterres announced he was referring the decades-old controversy to the ICJ. This move followed unsuccessful attempts to resolve the matter through the various mechanisms outlined in the Geneva Agreement signed between Guyana and Venezuela in 1966.

The controversy arose after Venezuela claimed that the Arbitral Award of 1899, which established the border it shares with Guyana, is null and void. The two countries, under the 1966 Geneva Agreement, turned to the UN Secretary-General to resolve what became a controversy under the Charter of the UN.

 

By: Tiffny Rhodius