UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP) – A UN mission will travel to Venezuela and Guyana to promote dialogue between them over a border dispute, Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro said Tuesday.
Maduro made the remarks after meeting with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who the Venezuelan said had promised to “immediately activate a commission” to visit both countries.
Venezuela has asked Ban to name someone whose “good offices” could be used to try to resolve the dispute over the Essequibo territory, which encompasses two thirds of Guyana.
Maduro also said Ban had pledged to try to arrange a meeting between the leaders of the two countries on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in September.
The dispute, which dates from the early 19th century, began heating up two months ago after ExxonMobil reported making a significant oil find in an offshore concession granted by Guyana that Venezuela claims is in disputed waters.
Maduro lashed out at Guyana’s President David Granger for engaging in an “aggressive provocation.”
“Sooner or later he will have to rectify a position that hurts the very people of Guyana,” said Maduro.
The Venezuelan president made the surprise visit to Ban after Granger on Friday addressed a US think tank in Washington, denouncing what he said was “a challenge to (Guyana’s) survival by a larger state.”
Granger warned the conflict could spill over if not dealt with quickly.
“The present threat, if not resolved promptly, if not resolved permanently, if not resolved peacefully could lead to deterioration of the security situation in the entire Caribbean and on the northern tier of the South American continent,” he said.
The Bolivarian government issued a statement rejecting the statements of the Foreign Minister of Guyana, who said that “Venezuela seeks to vindicate as his seeing anything.”
In this regard, the Executive recalled that President Nicolas Maduro has visited international bodies calling on the Government of Guyana to dialogue.
Below full text of the statement.
BOLIVARIAN REPUBLIC OF VENEZUELA
MINISTRY OF POPULAR POWER FOR FOREIGN AFFAIRS
RELEASE
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela categorically rejects the insolent press statements Chancellor of the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, who so angrily said that “Venezuela seeks to vindicate as his seeing anything.”
Nothing further from the historical and legal reality of our country, whose territory and sovereignty is hardened product of struggles led by our great liberator Simon Bolivar. Quite the contrary independence grace obtained via the neighboring country, which received territory from a colonial and imperial power, he never had ownership rights or legitimate territory who never belonged gave him.
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela has always protested historically the imperial and colonial plunder Essequibo territory, controversy is settled according to the 1966 Geneva Agreement and international law, which the Cooperative Republic of Guyana is a party, and therefore binding its effects.
The constitutional government of President Nicolas Maduro maintained the historic protest of the Venezuelan State in the defense of the rights of Venezuela, whose title over the Essequibo territory is unobjectionable.
While the constitutional President of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela attends international bodies calling on the Government of Guyana to dialogue, the authorities respond with more aggression, more provocations and violations of international legal order.
The Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela calls on the new Government of Guyana to be channeled to international law and dirima this territorial dispute through the currently valid legal instrument, the 1966 Geneva Agreement.
Caracas, July 29, 2015
Sorry to say this Guyana belong to the Amerindian People not any outsider,We Natives Must fight to get control of our Mother land, Mr Nelson Mandela did it for South Africa so can we,If only we can get all those who support him support us Amerindians.
What is there to discuss. Our stated position is the land and off shore sea area belong to Guyana. Amen .
Senor Maduro. Please shut up. You are not the victim here. Guyana did not claim 2/3 of your country and Guyana did not claim your offshore area.