[www.inewsguyana.com]– The Venezuelan government has lashed out at Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Ministry’s communiqué which stated that Venezuela is “stymieing the development of Guyana and its people and that would be in contravention of international law.”
However, Guyana’s neighbour in a notice published in one of the local newspapers on Friday, March 13 has labeled this communiqué as an “unacceptable and unjust” description of the situation.
This response from Venezuela follows its objection to the planned offshore exploration for oil in local waters by US Company – ExxonMobil, much to the dissatisfaction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs here.
Guyana’s Foreign Affairs Ministry wrote to its counterpart in Venezuela urging that its government desist from actions that could contravene international law and prevent development.
The neighbouring country however says it “is surprised by the false accusation that Venezuela seeks or has sought to stymie the development of Guyana when, on the contrary, reliable proof can be displayed, all throughout the government of President Hugo Chavez and President Nicolas Maduro, that both leaders have maintained their conviction equally.”
According to Venezuela, the start of exploratory activities by the company in the area referred to by Guyana as the ‘Stabroek Block’ was done without prior notification to the Government of Venezuela.
It was noted that the ‘Stabroek Block’ is defined as a maritime area in the process of delimitation that corresponds to the claim of territorial sovereignty, by Venezuela, within the Geneva accord.
Additionally, the notice stated that this move was aimed at disrupting the “atmosphere of peace and tranquility that promotes the Government of President Nicolas Maduro based on international laws.”
Venezuela has since called on the Government of Guyana to restore the peaceful and legal mechanism of the Good Offices of the Secretary of the United Nations as the approach to adopt bilateral and amicable solution without the irritating interference of foreign factors and negotiations in order to achieve a practical and satisfactory solution for both sides.
