Last Updated on Thursday, 14 December 2023, 18:56 by Denis Chabrol
Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro held his first face-to-face talks with President Irfaan Ali on the Caribbean island of St Vincent on Thursday, saying that they would continue talks to end the controversy over the 1899 Arbitral Tribunal Award that settled the land boundary between the two South American nations.
“Venezuela and Guyana express their willingness to continue with the dialogue, to resolve the controversy in relation to the Essequibo territory,” the press office of Mr Maduro’s Presidential Palace press office said on its X account, formerly Twitter. Venezuela continues to push the line of bilateral talks despite repeated rejections of that approach by the Guyana government.
That was in stark contrast to President Ali’s iron-clad position, which is endorsed by the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), that the border controversy would be settled by the International Court of Justice. Dr Ali also ruled out any development, investment, partnership, training, collaboration or cooperation without Guyana’s approval.
No reference was made to whether the Guyanese leader secured commitments from his Venezuelan counterpart to tone down his government’s anti-Guyana rhetoric and comply with ICJ’s order that pending a final decision in the case, Venezuela shall refrain from taking any action, which would modify the situation that currently prevails in the territory in dispute, whereby Guyana administers and exercises control over that area, and that Guyana and Venezuela shall refrain from any action which might aggravate or extend the dispute before the court or make it more difficult to resolve.
Venezuela has approved a budget for activities in Guyana’s Essequibo county.
Dr Ali, on Thursday, refused to provide further details about his discussions with Mr Maduro.
El Cooperante reported that the Maduro administration proposed that the dialogue be permanent and be accompanied by special commissions sent by the organizers.
According to Venezolana de Televisión (VTV), the presidents expressed their interest in maintaining peace in the region, therefore, they managed to “reach a point of agreement,” without offering further details.
“The bilateral meeting between Venezuela and Guyana was successful, demonstrating that the only way to resolve the territorial controversy is dialogue, with understanding and respect, free of interventionist intervention, prioritizing the well-being of our region,” published the Ministry of Popular Power for Internal Relations, Justice and Peace in X.
Among the proposals presented by the Venezuelan side, the 1966 Geneva Agreement was mentioned as the only mechanism to resolve the conflict, as well as the nation’s historical claim.
Thursday’s talks were brokered by the Caribbean Community and CELAC and were witnessed by Mr Celso Amorim, the International Relations Advisor to his country’s President Luis Inacio ‘Lula’ Da Silva, and a representative of the United Nations.
Also holding separate bilateral talks with the Guyanese and Venezuelan leaders were several CARICOM leaders including Dr Gonsalves, Mr Skerrit, the Prime Minister of Barbados Mia Mottley, Grenada’s Prime Minister Dickon Mitchell, The Bahamas’ Prime Minister Phillip Davis, and the Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago Dr Keith Rowley. All of those leaders enjoy exceptionally close relations with the Maduro-led administration.
President Ali’s delegation included Foreign Affairs Minister Hugh Todd, Foreign Secretary Robert Persaud, Foreign Affairs Ministry Permanent Secretary Elisabeth Harper and Attorney General Anil Nandlall.
President Maduro’s delegation comprised of Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, Foreign Minister Yván Gil, and Minister of Communication and Information, Freddy Ñáñez,
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