Opposition’s leader’s withdrawal from Border Commission will not affect Guyana’s position – Min. Greenidge

DPI, GUYANA, Thursday, November 2, 2017

The Opposition Leader’s non-participation in the negotiating group, in relation to the Guyana Venezuela controversy “will not make a difference” on Guyana’s position on the matter.

In fact, Opposition Leader Bharat Jagdeo, was not part of the Border Commission, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Second Vice President Carl Greenidge told the Department of Public Information (DPI).

It was recently reported in local media that Jagdeo has signalled his intent to pull out of the Guyana Border Commission in objection to the recent appointment of the Guyana Election Commission (GECOM) Chairman.

“What he was referring to was his participation in the negotiating group, which is negotiating a meeting with the United Nations Personal Representative to the SG (Secretary General) in looking at the controversy of the border”, Minister Greenidge explained.

The Minister reiterated that Jagdeo’s decision, “Will not make a difference” on Guyana’s stance on the controversy. “Of course, you don’t have the faces and the people representing opposition and government but because we have been working for the last eight, nine months on this matter together with the PPP, the positions that we are putting and holding, are positions that cut across party lines”, Minister Greenidge explained.

The United Nations Secretary General António Guterres appointed Norwegian Diplomat, Dag Halvor Nylander, as his Personal Representative to work with Guyana and Venezuela through the Good Offices Process with the aim of reaching a resolution to the long standing controversy by the end of 2017.

The controversy stems from Venezuela’s contention that the Arbitral Award of October 3, 1899 demarcating the border between Guyana and Venezuela, is null and void.

Guyana has committed to participating fully with the Good Offices Process. More recently, Guyana and Venezuela gave their commitment and agreed to meet again during a meeting in New York between the Foreign Ministers.

If the dispute is not resolved by the end of the year, Guyana is lobbying the UN Secretary General choose the International Court of Justice (ICJ) as the next means of settlement.

 

By: Tiffny Rhodius