President Dr Irfaan Ali has committed to pursuing a resolution of the Guyana/Venezuela border controversy at the International Court of Justice.
He reminded that it was the PPP/C Government in 2014 that put an end to the interminable ‘good offices’ dialogue with Venezuela, because “it had become, for them, a strategy of prolonging contention rather than of seeking solution.”
He also reminded that the PPP/C gave full support to the former administration when, “as initiated by us, they submitted the Venezuela contention to the International Court of Justice.”
During his inauguration speech, Ali posited that “we shall not descend. The sovereignty of our State, the integrity of our territory – of both land and sea – is a sacred trust.”
He explained that “in being faithful to that trust, we shall be loyal to our enduring vision of Guyana as One Nation indivisible.”
Upon the swearing in of Dr Ali on Sunday last, Venezuela had expressed hopes to resume dialogue with Guyana’s new government.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Jorge Arreaza had congratulated Guyana on the election of the new leader, saying in a Monday statement that it was necessary “to reactivate the dialogue and negotiation mechanisms as soon as possible to reach a practical and satisfactory settlement”.
As such, with his endorsement of the ICJ choice President Ali has rejected this extra-judicial approach.
