BREAKING: Ali, Maduro, Lula for meeting in St Vincent next week; Ali rules out negotiations on border controversy

Last Updated on Saturday, 9 December 2023, 18:03 by Denis Chabrol

President Irfaan Ali and the President of Venezuela Nicolas Maduro are to meet in St Vincent next week Thursday, amid escalating tensions between the two countries, but the Guyanese leader on Saturday insisted that the border dispute over the Essequibo Region is a non-negotiable.

Brazil’s President, Luis Inacio Lula Da Silva is expected to participate in that meeting scheduled for December 14, 2023 in St Vincent and the Grenadines, at the initiative of the President of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC), Dr Ralph Gonsalves.  The meeting would be held under the auspices of both CELAC and CARICOM.

In Dr Gonsalves’ letter to Presidents Ali and Maduro, he said the meeting would discuss on “matters consequential to the border controversy between these two great countries.”

Given the recent events and circumstances attendant upon the border controversy, the leaderships of CELAC and CARICOM have assessed, in the interest of all concerned, including our Caribbean and Latin American civilisations, the urgent need to de- escalate the conflict and institute an appropriate dialogue, face-to-face, between the Presidents of Guyana and Venezuela.

Both of you have concurred with this assessment in the quest of peaceful co-existence, the application and respect for international law, and the avoidance of the use or threats of force. Both of you are on public record of committing to the Caribbean as a Zone of Peace and the maintenance of international law,” Dr Gonsalves said.

Since the December 3 referendum in Venezuela, Mr Maduro has declared Venezuela one of its military zones and has said its state oil and mining companies would be authorised to explore for oil, gas and gold in Essequibo. United States military aircraft, in collaboration with the Guyana Defence Force, earlier this week conducted flight operations over Guyana’s airspace.

The Guyanese leader was firm on Saturday that he and his delegation would stick by its position that the border dispute would not be settled by negotiations.

“We have said from the beginning that we are not opposed to conversation. We have to co-exist as neighbours so we are not opposed to any conversation but, in having that conversation, we are establishing very clearly that on the matter of the border controversy that is before the ICJ ((International Court of Justice) and that shall not change,” Dr Ali told Demerara Waves Online News. The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) leaders issued a statement on Friday at the end of their virtual caucus that they support Guyana’s position that the border dispute has to be settled at the ICJ.

The President said Guyana would continue to have exercises with its partners and that investments in Guyana would continue to remain safe.

The CELAC Chairman told Presidents Ali and Maduro that they both have agreed with him for such a meeting to be held under the auspices of CELAC of which St. Vincent and the Grenadines is the Pro-Tempore President and CARICOM of which the current Chairman is the Commonwealth of Dominica.

The Vincentian Prime Minister noted that Venezuela and Guyana have taken strong positions on the border controversy, with Guyana’s National Assembly authorising Dr Ali not to negotiate the controversy and the Venezuelan referendum rejecting the ICJ as the means of settling the controversy over the validity of the 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award that settled the land boundary of the two South American nations.  Clearly, each of you has to summon the proverbial wisdom of Solomon, the patience of Job, and the foresight of all the ancient prophets to engender good neighborliness in peace, justice, security, and prosperity for all concerned. There is thus much for each of you to raise and/or discuss on matters consequential to the border controversy even as you respect the advice, or more, of your respective peoples and Parliament/National Assembly,” the Vincentian leader said.