Minister of Foreign Affairs Carl Greenidge, on Tuesday, said the government is not bothered by the military exercise being carried out by the Spanish speaking nation, as it has that right.
Venezuela which is contending that the 1899 Arbitral Award giving rights to Guyana over its territorial boundary, is null and void, has launched an extraordinary military deployment, near the disputed border area, a DPI release has said.
While the Venezuela government is entitled to carry out its own military exercises, Minister Greenidge however, pointed out that Guyana has the right to ensure that there is no infringement on its territorial integrity.
According to the Minister, Venezuela will do what it chooses to do. Guyana, however, also has its own responsibility. “They have a right to carry out their military exercises. We, of course, have a right to monitor and make sure that they do not infringe on our territorial integrity.”
The Foreign Minister said there was no reason to believe that Venezuela would ignore the rules, but it is in Guyana’s interest, that special focus will be placed on security.
Meanwhile, Greenidge sought to establish that the presence of Guyanese military at the borderline, is not connected to the border issue currently before the ICJ.
“The people living on the border areas, have been alerted by the Guyanese authorities, not because of what is happening in the courts, but because of the political crisis in Venezuela. That political crisis started before the court matter and will continue perhaps after.”
Minister Greenidge said Guyanese living along the border must now continue to carry out the necessary surveillance.
On March 29, the Minister of Foreign Affairs on behalf of the government submitted its application to the International Court of Justice, requesting the Court to confirm the legal validity and binding effect of the 1899 Arbitral Award regarding the boundary between Guyana and Venezuela.
