PM: Guyana/Venezuela border dispute will be resolved
PRIME Minister Dr Keith Rowley expects that the ongoing border dispute between Venezuela and Guyana will be “resolved in the best interest of all and in accordance with international law”.
Rowley conveyed his expectation to a high-level delegation from Venezuela that visited this country on Tuesday.
He also told the delegation he expects that “neither side will do anything to escalate” the dispute.
On Tuesday President of Guyana David Granger said that Venezuela had deployed troops to a contested border region between the two countries.
Granger told reporters that Venezuela made “extraordinary military deployments” along what Guyana considers its western border.
Venezuela and Guyana have been engaged in an ongoing dispute over an area known as the Essequibo.
Guyana has asked the United Nations to mediate the border dispute and Granger is expected to raise the issue at the upcoming General Assembly meeting.
A release from the Office of the Prime Minister stated that Rowley “received a High-Level Delegation from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, led by Venezuela’s Minister of People’s Power for Foreign Affairs Delcy Rodríguez Gómez.
Venezuela’s Minister of People’s Power for Oil and Mining and the Minister of People’s Power for Economy and Finance were also present.
“During the courtesy call, Prime Minister Rowley recalled the commitment given to him by His Excellency Nicolás Maduro, President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela to despatch a high–level Ministerial team to Trinidad and Tobago, in the shortest possible time, to pursue cooperation in areas of mutual interest.
“The Prime Minister highlighted the scope for meaningful collaboration in the energy, trade and security sectors as well as culture and the arts, among others.
He cited the benefits to both countries of accelerating exploitation of the Loran-Manatee cross-border field and of joint efforts to counter the illicit trade in small arms and narcotics,” a release from the Office of the Prime minister stated.
Rowley also addressed the Venezuela and Guyana border dispute.
“In respect of the situation between Guyana and Venezuela, the Prime Minister conveyed the expectation that the situation would be resolved in the best interest of all, in accordance with international law, and that neither side would do anything to escalate the situation,” the release stated.